Clarity
by ASingleMind
Summary: Lena awakens after a fitful night to a strange place filled with familiar faces. Except that the people behind them aren't quite what she remembers. And no one seems to believe her version of events.
1. Awakening

Re-upload A/n: I took this down because I felt the initial release was a bit too soon. I've edited the first chapter a bit (worth re-reading) and written more of the rest. There's a loose plan for this which is a bad way to go about it but it is just for fun. I've also decided that if, and only when I finish this I'll let myself take Unknown Skies down from here. It's still on DA though _*cringes*_. Gods know why, but somehow it still keeps getting looked at? The viewcount increases every time I check it. I pity the poor souls who tried to suffer through it.

**Original A/n: I guess I'm not quite as done with Skyland as I thought.**

I don't know how far I'll go with this. I have a plan for a good portion of it but we'll see how long my interest stays with it. It's...a bit more out there than most of the fan fics in this section. I noticed that there was a healthy lack of fics like this (except for maybe Paradox) and decided to write this. Its not an AU.

**Reviews are always appreciated. : ) ...no really, they are. Especially in this fandom. Even if its been years, it makes me happy.**

A cold metal surface greeted her when Lena awoke. It pressed against her cheek bone uncomfortably. There was a strong smell of sterilized metal that seeped into her senses as she slowly regained consciousness. Her thoughts were like molasses, gradually dragging themselves along as she tried to gather herself. Cold metal. Had she fallen asleep in the Hyperion? She gently opened her eyes. Immediately shutting them again tightly, she cringed in the harsh light. So...not the Hyperion maybe. She hadn't gotten a good look, but she there was an idea behind her creeping thoughts that nagged her. This wasn't the Hyperion.

"Mahad?" she called out softly. It sounded more like a parched groan as she realized how dry her mouth was. She lifted her head stiffly. There was deep aching in her muscles. She must have been here all night she slowly realized. As she attempted to sit up she found her limbs as heavy as lead. They barely moved an inch as she struggled to move, the soreness making itself known. Her elbows dug into her sides. She wanted to rub her eyes.

Had she gotten tangled in the sheets again? She image of her brother walking in on her when she didn't come down for breakfast crossed her mind. She ached too much to be embarrassed. It wasn't the first time since leaving Babylonia her dreams, turned nightmares, had left her in a fitful arrangement in the morning. But after rescuing her mother they had subsided in favor of happier dreamscapes. It seemed a little odd that she would have one after so long.

Opening her eyes ever so slowly, the illumination of the room began to dampen as she adjusted. Whatever she was lying on rested against one wall of a small gray room. It was barely large enough for her to lay down. She blinked away the pain welling up behind her eyes. The walls seemed to be made of something similar to what she was lying on. She could make out metal plates of different shapes adjoined by flattened rivets. They were eerily smooth. In fact, as she moved her aching eyes across the surface, she could see that the corners of the room were rounded inward. There didn't seem to be a sharp surface anywhere.

Something at the back of her mind continued to pressed itself amid her slow moving thoughts. Something was _wrong._

_ Where am I? _

Her bedroom had been replaced by sterile metal box. The only break in the metallic pattern was the floor. Replacing her hardwood floor was linoleum, stained by years without washing. Despite herself, a shiver through her. This was somewhere far from her home. It was a _prison. _

But every cage had an opening. She pushed her eyes, which were now tearing down her cheeks against the chemical light to examine the other side of the room. There was an outline of a door pressed into the wall at her feet. A small window near eye level was the only clue to outside the confines of her room, but it was to small to make out anything.

"Mom?" she cooed, knowing it was most likely futile. The silence that answered her only reassured her that she was alone. She closed her eyes. She wouldn't let herself be broken that easily. The part of her had fought against the Sphere time and time again refused to do so. The part that had faced Oslo straight on and won wanted to fight against whoever had put her here.

"I'm _not _helpless." she muttered with more indignation that she expected. Calming herself, as she had been taught, she noticed something.

She had put her immobility down to tangled blankets and sore limbs. Now though, as she felt around the fog over her mind, she realized that there were in fact no sheets. Something wrapped around her, pinning her upper arms to her sides and her forearms around the front of her torso. She could feel further straps underneath the dressing. Her legs had been allowed a little more movement only being tied around the ankles and thighs. Her chest tightened. She wasn't going to let this scare her. She was stronger than that.

She felt a little lighter now, although she wasn't sure if was just the growing sensation of fear in the pit of her stomach or her fighting spirit. Lena again tried to adjust her position. The straps around her chest were tighter than she realized. They pressed into the soft flesh of her arms against her muscles as if to tear it away. She could feel what must have been bruises forming as she tried to break free. Her elbows were pressed into her below her ribs. They sat uncomfortably close to her hips. Whoever had restrained her had not thought much of her comfort. She gave up on trying to move from where she was.

The miasma that her thoughts dredged through was thicker than she realized as she chided herself. Her powers. Why she hadn't thought to use them earlier was beyond her right now. No room could be totally sealed from light, right? Relaxing again, she focused on her inner pillar of strength that she called her powers from. It was met with a sharp resistance that sent her head into pangs of pounding tension. Cringing, she tried harder. The pain increased as she sought out her Seijin strength with a weakening ferocity. Beads of sweat formed as the pressure clouded out all her meditative strength. What was going on? She could feel something there, she thought, but it was different. Something was wrong, _very wrong. _She yelled in frustration, incomprehension mixed with pain coloring her face. The yell turned to a scream as her dry throat and strained chest shrieked in agony against her sudden attack. She whimpered as she let her chest fall back, the movement hurting with each pulse.

The fog that had haunted her returned with blessed relief. She could still feel the pain in her head, but it was more distant now. Tears and sweat marred her face. She wouldn't be trying that again soon but...the thought of not being able to use her powers scared her deeply. She had come to rely on them more and more since that fateful day over a year ago. Under the Vector's tutoring and study she had honed an understanding that surpassed even her mother at times. And her raw seijin strength was nothing to sneer at, that she had proven multiple times over. But now, there was no flow of energy to take comfort in. Was it excellarium? But she was sure it didn't work like this. Excellarium made you nauseous and in high enough concentrations, knocked you unconscious. She pondered. A small moan escaped her lips as she remembered the rest of her aching body. It too had not taken to her calling well.

She was scared Lena finally admitted. Frightened even. She couldn't imagine why she was like this. Tied up with barely enough room to breath in a room barely bigger than a broom closet without her powers...she felt more alone than ever. Isolated and confused she silently wished for someone to come wake her up from the nightmare. She imagined her mother, or maybe her brother coming up to her room and peering in. She would be rolling around, clearly distressed in whatever dream she was having. And they would gently wake her up. Her mother would reassure her, and then they would go down for breakfast. Together. Her last thought lingered just a moment longer than the rest. _Together. _

No one came for her, but she took solace in her memories. It was difficult.

Lena stared at the door to her room with tired eyes. Her eyes were red, not only from the harsh light that never ceased but from the tears she had shed as the hours dragged on. She had tried not to let herself cry, but as sleep eluded her she found herself giving in a little to her growing despair.

Her thoughts that she had tried to put to rest circled around her mind, repeating the same explanations and questions that gave her no answers. Her emotions were just as erratic. The haze over her thoughts that still lingered made them difficult to control. Eventually, she let them roam. It was a good distraction. The impetus of her mind began to leave as the fog returned.

There was a tap. It almost seemed to echo in the small room. It was soft, but enough to pierce the magma that clouded her. Lena perked up slightly, but saw no changes to her confinements. Then there was more tapping, followed by a click. There was movement outside the door. A person? Relief flooded her. Despite her bonds, she tried to orient herself more to face whoever was outside.

The door slid open sideways, revealing a women in a lab coat. She was short, just a little taller than Lena, but her feminine figure was much broader. Her blonde hair was tied back, revealing all the aspects of her face. Her features were harsh, only softened by the slightly rounded cheekbones.

"Good morning Lena!" she said cheerily. Her smile seemed genuine enough, but Lena grimaced inwardly. There was a much taller, but skinnier man behind her dressed in a tight jacket and white pants standing stiffly. He met her fearful expression with apathy. The nurse gasped softly as she approached Lena. "My dear! Have you been crying? Are you alright?" with almost maternal care the nurse took out a small cloth from her pocket and gently wiped around Lena's eyes. "Did you have another one of your nightmares?"

Gathering some moisture in her mouth, Lena waited. "Who are you?" She had many questions, but she was in no state to be asking all of them.

"Do you not remember us?" the nurse asked kindly. Lena wanted to respond again with her voice but the moisture had already left. She simply nodded. Although she couldn't place it, the nurse seemed somewhat familiar. It felt like it was from some time ago though. But not from Puerto Angel...

"Hm. The doctor mentioned that there may be side effects, but I'm not sure memory loss was one of them." the nurse continued. "But we've woken you up a bit early since he wanted to talk with you. I'm sure he'll be addressing this."

"I'm...in a hospital?"

"Oh my... do you remember anything at all?" the nurse asked again, a little more worried. Lena was unsure of how to respond. She remembered the events of the last few weeks, but nothing matched up with her current situation. "Well I guess I should at least tell you our names. I'm Julie and the man behind me is Adrian, one of the orderlies." Lena nodded. "Now, how about you be a good girl and let me take off those restraints?"

"Please." Lena gasped. The release of her bonds ushered in more sensation to her limbs. It reinforced the aching and the bruising that had formed.

"My word, would you look at high tight these were!" the nurse said surprised, loud enough to shock Lena a little. "Ah, sorry dear. But these restraints were far too tight. Just look at these bruises!" _Tell me about it. _"Were you able to breath alright? I will be speaking to whoever was assigned to this." the nurse continued, briefly eying Adrian. "Sometimes they just forget how delicate some of our patients are." Adrian made no response, but turned to leave as Julie helped Lena into a sitting position. Within moments Adrian returned carrying a tray with a bowl on it and a glass of water. "Now be a dear and eat up. You wouldn't to have to take your medicine on an empty tummy would you?" the childish language would have bothered Lena more if, upon the nurse's suggestions, hadn't realized how hungry she was.

"Gladly." Lena replied. The nurse slid the tray onto Lena's lap gently. Lena stared down at a grayish mush in the bowl.

"I know it doesn't seem very appetizing, but you _have _eaten it before. And I can assure you that it is very nutritious!" the nurse told her. Somehow its functional value didn't comfort her as she stared down with mild disgust. Despite her reservations, she picked up the spoon placed beside it and began eating it. Thankfully the substance was bland rather than having some ghoulish flavor. She ate quickly as she quenched her appetite. The water in the glass was cool as it slid down her parched throat. She wanted to ask for more but the nurse interrupted her with another glass. This one had several pills of different colors in the bottom.

"My...medicine? But I'm not sick. I feel fine." Lena told the nurse. Julie nodded humbly.

"It's good to hear that, but you really do need to take these. You might be feeling good now but you won't be when your...symptoms come back." Julie insisted. Lena looked at her, and then at Adrian who seemed to be mildly bored. She lifted her hand, and as she did so felt her arm brush against something hard around her neck. She paused, gripping the device around her neck. Why hadn't she noticed this sooner?

She looked back the nurse and the room shrank. "Lena." the nurse began. "Please don't touch that." it wasn't a kind request. Adrian gave her a hard look, tensing up as he seemed to prepare for any sudden movements. This brought up a new wave of questions, but she let go of the device. The nurse sighed in relief. "Now I know you probably have many questions for us but the Doctor wants to see you right away. We need to finish up as soon as possible." Julie glanced at the glass in her hand. Lena nodded numbly and took the glass from her. She was highly suspicious, but there was no room to defy her. Cringing she gulped down the contents of the glass in one go.

"See? Not so bad. Now unfortunately we don't have a change of clothes for you this morning. You'll just have to wait until after you've seen the doctor." With that, the nurse wrapped an arm around and helped Lena stand up. She followed her out the door, with Adrian walking behind them.

It was then that she suddenly became conscious of herself. A glance downward revealed a dull colored outfit that vaguely resembled the Guardian uniform—except it was missing the skirt part of the tunic. And it was a depressing blue color that reminded her of the linoleum.

As the food settled her thoughts cleared a bit. She had a growing number of questions for this 'doctor' the nurse had mentioned. As they walked, she felt her willpower returning. She _was not _going to leave where ever they were headed to without getting some answers.


	2. to delusions

**A/n: This one is probably going to be one of the shorter ones, mostly because of where I needed to end it for a good cliffhanger. **

The walk to their destination had not been as long, nor as winding as Lena expected. Somehow, despite the cramped room she had woken up to, she imagined that she was in an expansive facility. Yet, the walk had taken what had seemed like barely a minute. It was almost suspicious, but with her mind still (or was it the pills?) addled she had trouble putting much thought into it.

On the way she had noticed a few things. The grey circular corridors were very distinctly, and very definitely, Sphere architecture. Somehow this didn't surprise her. What bothered her more was how the trailing floor lights lit up the figures standing on either side of her.

Shadows revealed much more angular faces that she had initially perceived. They almost seemed strained as they eyed her every few seconds. Whether this was the result of their occupation or by another stress remained uncomfortably unclear. Although she was slow to realize, her walking partners seemed...tense. More so than she could see reason for.

In slow movements she eyed them back and forth in her periphery, trying to place them.

The door they had arrived at was rectangular, and had been placed in the middle of the hallway rather than at the end. The wall it was set in had been flattened at least so the door had no awkward curvature.

"Well dear, I'll have to wait outside. Adrian though will see you in." Julie told her. It was kind again, although Lena could swear it was teetering as the women finished. Adrian pushed her inside as the door slid open.

The room was an office as she had thought. It was a lot warmer than the metal exterior. The shelves were lined with wooden bookshelves pressed against a deep burgundy wall. A glass desk with a chair were the only other furniture in the room. A single ceiling light, a lamp cast the room in a soft glow. The floor was a deep brown wood that felt solid under her feet. _Mahogany? _She wondered. It was almost surreal. _How in Skyland..._

"Ah, Lena." a male voice asked her calmly. She hadn't even noticed him, or the chair that had appeared behind her. "Have a seat my dear." He was a lot younger than she had expected. Just a few years older than Mahad.

She did as she was told. She sunk into the cushioned armchair with ease, thankful for the reprieve from her earlier accommodations. He didn't say anything as she leaned back. For a while, he simply watched her through rounded lenses that sat a little far from his eyes. Short blonde hair had been styled, or perhaps was just left to gently wisp about the top of his face, which was surprisingly boyish for someone his age. She didn't, however, doubt his maturity as he sat leaned over the desk, hands interlaced and pressed against his face to hold his head up. She shifted herself again.

"How about we start with how you're feeling today?" his voice had returned with the same calmness as before.

"Um..." she said. "I've had better mornings." he nodded. Prodding against the fog that had returned to her she wondered how much to tell him...but then again he probably already knew what she was going to say. "My head feels really thick." Another nod.

"Its unfortunate, but it is an expected side effect. It will get better with time. Go on."

"And...I'm kind of tired. Sort of. Everything feels kind of heavy..."

"Another fitful night then? Did you have any nightmares?" The nurse had mentioned dreams too.

"I don't remember." she admitted. He raised an eyebrow ever so slightly. He seemed incredulous. "Um, to be honest, I don't remember much of anything before waking up here."

"So you don't remember who I am then?" she shook her head. "Well then, I guess I'll have to re-introduce myself. You, Lena, can call me Issac. I'm the head facilitator here."

"Facilitator?"

"Psychiatrist, if you will." she nodded slowly. "You've been coming to see me for a while now. Do you remember any of that?"

"No."

"I see." there was a short silence. A blue screen opened across the desk space in front of him. Gently tapping it, Lena could see words scrolling past as moved he through what seemed to be a detailed document. "Hm..." She stared at him, waiting. "I suppose that's fair but..." the direction of the scrolling reversed.

"What is it?"

"Lena...I need you to be honest with me." his expression hardened.

"I am!"

"I am aware of your stubborn streak, and I can tell you that this is not the time. It is very important that you remain open—"

"To what? How about you tell me what's going on here!" she almost yelled. How did she manage to get upset so quickly? It didn't matter though. A second to collect herself. She needed answers.

"I woke up tied up and wrapped in some weird cloth that hurt a lot! I could barely breath. Look, I have the bruises to prove it if you don't believe me!" she rolled up her sleeve. "And then there's this thing around my neck! I think its preventing me from using my powers..."

"It is." he said. "Please, Lena..."

"_What?! _Why? Why won't you let me use my powers?" she was almost embarrassed to say the next part: "This isn't how you treat a young girl!" it broke his expression slightly. He seemed scared.

"I need you to calm down." he insisted nervously. She could hear Adrian moving behind her. "We don't want to have to do anything rash..."

"Are you worried that I'm going to _escape?_ And why would that bother you?" she continued. She sat upright now, but didn't stand. She could sense that Adrian was looming behind the chair.

"Please." he asked her. He was glancing between Adrian and her, almost as if he was pleading. But he was mostly focusing on Adrian and not her. The light flickered.

"I..." the look in his eyes stopped her, although the rest of his face had returned to its stoic expression. She sat back in the chair. Adrian didn't move.

"It's ok Adrian." Issac said. After a few long moments, Adrian stiffly moved away from the chair and back to the door. "Thank you." she wasn't sure if he was talking to her or the orderly.

"Now, I can see that you must have a lot of questions...but before I answer them I believe there's something we need to address, based on what you said."

"Yes...?"

"Lena, how old are you?" Simple enough.

"I'm fourteen, why?" she replied. Cocking her head (which was oddly more difficult than it normally was) slightly, she wondered aloud. "Shouldn't you know what?"

"Lena, you're sixteen years old, not fourteen."

"What..." she said with genuine softness. "I can't be."

"Fourteen was how old you were when you arrived here. Don't tell me you've forgotten the past two years? Do you remember anything at all?"

"No, that's not right." she mumbled. Issac sighed.

"This is worse than I expected. But that doesn't mean you haven't improved in other respects..."

"What do you mean?"

"Last night was the first night after we decided to try a new treatment for you. I guess I'd better explain..."

"Please."

"Tell me, have you seen Mahad lately? From what you can remember."

"My brother? No." She couldn't imagine why he was asking her this. He smiled a little at her answer.

"Good! This is a small relief. But it seems you still think you're somehow related..."

"We are."

"Lena, Mahad doesn't exist. You're an only child. Surely you remember that?" he told her plainly.

"That doesn't make any sense!"

"It might not to you, right now. Mahad is a hallucination that has plagued you for most of the past few years of your life." _What? _She knew her brother, she remembered him clear as day. His red outfit was as poignant as his attitude. And she remembered the coy smile he always had. Their adventures had taken them across Skyland.

"You've described him detail during our sessions, that he was even standing in the room, yelling at me as it were. But I can assure you that he is not real."

She couldn't reply. The miasma around her head had opened just enough to let his words sink in. Her chest tightened. She was almost trembling as she looked away from Issac.

"Lena, I'm sorry. But we need to break through this, together." She couldn't believe him. It wasn't possible.

"I don't believe you." she said as firmly as she could manage just then.

"I have something to show you." he told her as spun his chair around. He pulled out a small device out of which a small translucent screen projected. A digital file folder, and emblazoned at the top of the document was her name in bold letters, **Lena Farrell**. A press of a button on the side made the display flicker as the text was replaced with an image. "This is a picture of you with your parents. You do remember them, don't you?" He reached over the desk with the handheld. She took it gently from him. Her hands were still shaking slightly.

Her parents stood side by side, their expressions happy ones. But not as much as the one belonging to the young child standing in front of them who was beaming and making two 'v' peace symbols with her finders. Her mother and herself wore almost matching outfits, their overalls the same shade of white with the same style of pockets. The only difference was the rhino head plastered on Lena's chest. Her father stood with the same brown pilot's outfit she had seen him wearing in the photo she had found with Mahad.

"He's not here."

"No, he's not. Can you imagine why?" She bit her lip.

"Because he never was." It was the answer he wanted, she knew.

"Yes, Lena. Can I have that back?" he asked her kindly. Looking it over once more before she handed it back to him. The image disappeared just before he returned it to the shelf behind him.

"Now, about that collar." she raised her hand. "It's best if you don't touch it." she let it fall back to her lap.

"Why am I not allowed to use my powers?"

"It's for your protection, as well of those around you."

"What do you mean?"

"Seijins who are experiencing certain...sensory issues can be very dangerous as you might imagine. Trying to interact with things that aren't there, even trying to blast them. It is not unheard of for an ill Seijin to hurt themselves as well either by draining their powers to dangerously low levels or by something more...drastic." he explained. "You've never been too much trouble, but when you get upset...well."

"I can control my powers." she said, irritated.

"Most of the time, yes. Its as much a precaution for when you can't, or _choose_ not to as much as it is for _safety_. Sometimes a seijin who is experiencing delusions loses control of their powers."

"Unlikely..."

"There's been research into this. As far as we've found, the mental condition of a seijin plays a important role in the manifestation of their powers...but you already know that. The flow of energy is dependent on this as well as sunlight. Imbalances, particularly between reality and what you're experiencing, can disrupt this flow."

"So it explodes?"

"Or in more dire cases...implodes. You can see why we might be concerned." she grimaced. The idea of her powers turning back on her from the insight frightened her. But not enough to want to suppress them completely. And besides...

"It wouldn't for me, it couldn't. Not for the lady of light."

"Ah, I see. This again. You've returned to the ideas you had when you first got here."

"Excuse me?"

"Your fantasy as the lady of the prophecy" he didn't sound like he believed in it. "Was what got you sent here in the first place."

"I...I don't understand."

"We'll have to discuss this later. I think we've gone through a lot. You need time to process things..."

"Wait, I still have questions..." and she needed answers. He still hadn't explained her treatment. And she deserved to know. As a patient, she had the right.

"They will have to wait. I have other things to attend to, and your worker has just arrived. Ah!" his excitement shocked her. She could hear Julie arguing with a younger women outside, who was insisting that Issac had called her. _It couldn't be..._

"Yes, that should be excellent. I'm sure she'll be happy to see your progress. You're quite good friends." she gave him a look. "although I suppose you don't remember that...but I'm sure she's the best person to help you with that." he said with a smile. Adrian came up beside her, and grabbing her arm with some force, brought her to her feet. Lena shook him off as she walked around the chair. She thought he'd tried to take her arm again, but he relented to just walking beside her.

From the inside the door to the room was the same colour as the walls, she noted with mild confusion. It slid across to reveal the worker that was apparently also her friend. She had no doubt about the latter but...

"Hey there Lena. Do you remember me? It's Dahlia."

**A/n: That's right Issac, do the Gendo pose. That won't intimidate anyone at all...**

Please review : )


	3. or

_"Hey there Lena. Do you remember me? It's Dahlia."_

The woman before her was, with certainty, the pirate she knew. There was no mistaking her rounded face, not with those eyes. But her blonde hair which normally spiked across in such a way that it seemed to refuse gravity had lost its resistance. The short hair hung in flatly on either side of her face. Her black and yellow attire had been replaced with hospital scrubs coloured similarly to her own underneath a white lab coat.

"Dahlia?" she said nervously. The woman's smile faltered just a moment at Lena's confusion.

"Yes, that's right." Dahlia said earnestly. "Don't tell me you've forgotten your best friend?"

She hadn't forgotten her in the slightest. During their first adventure with the pirates, Dahlia had been mostly unmoved by their dilemma. It had taken some time, but she eventually dropped her nagging suspicions to a policy of toleration and eventually in quieter moments, some trust. Her resolute exterior had intimidated Lena at first, but with a little prodding there was a more casual young women. One who was willing to give her the time of day on occasion, but unwilling to compromise on orders in her given role. In many ways she embodied the independence she sought out in her new life. The woman standing before her, clipboard in hand and with a pleading smiling didn't strike her as any of these things.

"Of course not." she told her. Still shaken from the information Issac had insisted, it was easier to lie. The woman beamed at her.

"No, of course you wouldn't have. How about we go spend the rest of free time hanging out in the lounge?" Lena nodded a little numbly, holding her smile.

"Sure." She had promised herself answers, but it was becoming clear that there would be far more questions to come. She walked up beside the woman in the hallway, who seemed to be pleasantly satisfied by her response. Adrian followed her out the door of the warm office.

"Adrian, its ok. I don't think Lena will give me any trouble." Dahlia told him kindly but firmly.

"It's a precaution." Adrian stated flatly. It sounded like he was making an effort to keep his voice level.

"Adrian." something flashed in Dahlia's eyes that Lena almost recognized. Was it the Dahlia she knew? "It's ok." her voice remained firm. The orderly nodded stiffly. Dahlia promptly turned around without a second glance. "Let's go Lena."

As they walked through the cold straightened hallway, Lena tried her best not to think about what Issac had told her. It pressed against her thick thoughts anyway like wind against reed stems. In waves she pushed it back, only to find the implications swaying over her again. Her brother had to be real, but the photo...it seemed real too. Could it have been fake? She didn't know the extent of what photo manipulation could achieve, but surely the accuracy was a testament to its authenticity. Or at least someone's good effort. Maybe if she got another look at it...

It certainly seemed genuine. She wanted to put stock in the idea of smiling, happy, and more importantly fortunate parents who were _together. _How did they meet? Was it the same as what she knew, and if not where were they now? And what of the household she grew up in with such loving parents? What was it like to be an only child?

But if wasn't true then what? How did she get here? And even more pressing, why was Dahlia not helping her? She thought about the rest of the crew as well. Where had they been placed (or found...?) in this strange world?

Maybe Dahlia had been captured with her. Was she being threatened to act this way? And if so, then maybe she could get help from her after all!

But the hair, the clothes, her spirit...it was elaborate, even for a Sphere trick. She looked to her friend who had slowed to match her pace. She posture was proud, even though the rest of her didn't seem so.

"Are you alright?" Dahlia's concerned voice broke her thoughts. Lena felt a little embarrassed to have been caught looking at her.

"I-I'm fine." Why was she stuttering? Dahlia stopped almost immediately.

"No, you're not Lena." Dahlia said in the same way she had spoken to Adrian. Her expression softened just then. "I knew as soon as I saw you that something was off. I was hoping you would come around on your own, but I don't want you to lie to me."

"I..." Lena said softly. Dahlia placed a hand her shoulder.

"I _am _your friend Lena, even if you don't remember me. It's not only my job, but something from spending time together..." she paused. "Although I suppose you wouldn't know that either.. But you can trust me." Brown eyes bored into her.

"...there are some things I want to ask you." she was feeling tired again, but she wasn't going to let that change her resolve. She still wasn't sure about the woman beside her. "But I don't really know if I want to right now..." she hoped this Dahlia wouldn't try to dissect her uncertainty. She smiled.

"And that's alright. Don't be afraid to talk to me. It's not good to keep your feelings bottled up." They started to walk again with Dahlia leading the way.

"I think it would be good for you to meet some other people here you know." Dahlia said. Lena didn't respond. "Maybe they'll help jog your memory...oh! How about we throw some rocks outside this afternoon? I bet I'm still a better shot than you." Even through the heaviness Lena felt a pang of shock.

"Yeah, sure." How did this Dahlia know about that? Was it a lucky guess? Throwing rocks off the edge of a block was a common past time in young people...wait, outside?

"I guess there is something I can ask you now..."

"Sure." Dahlia chirped. Lena refrained from reacting.

"How come there aren't any windows? I mean, if seijins can't use their powers anyway..."

"Oh this part of the building is an old facility. It was renovated a number of years back to hold some offices and rooms when we needed more space." she seemed thankful to have something to explain.

"The rooms seem pretty small..."

"The one you were in was more for isolation than a permanent room."

"Permanent...?" she said hesitantly.

"Or long-term care. Most of the patients we deal with tend to be here a while, although some cases are fortunate enough to be able to leave sooner." Dahlia explained. Lena mulled over the idea of being one of the former. It was an uncomfortable thought. "But where we're going is a lot more open. You'll like it."

They reached the end of the hallway in silence. The bland colour of the two inward swinging doors contrasted against the metal surrounding them. They seemed to have been sealed in an off white plastic with two metal plates towards the crack between the two doors. A small rectangle window in each door were frosted heavily, preventing any hint beyond a stream of light of what was beyond them.

Dahlia unceremoniously pushed open the door on her side, bathing herself in light from the other side. She gestured for Lena to do the same. Gently pressing her hand against the flat handle, she squinted in the light as she pushed the door aside.

"See what I mean?" Dahlia said as Lena peered into the room.

The room before her was, as Dahlia had noted, very spacious. Three daunting square supporting pillars ran along the centre of the room. The centre beam had a small radio only reachable by one of the taller orderlies. Right now it seemed to playing soothing old-Earth jazz music. In between each were differently coloured tile patterns that ran the length of the room. Old pillows were piled in each, with a few couches and chairs strewn about. In the farther left one, the deep blue tiled one, she cold see some decrepit board games and a few table centre pieces. The other two sections were simply filled with cushions and chairs that seemed out of place on top of the grey and red. Bookshelves lined the entire room. Ten wide swathing bookshelves were to each side of her. The long side of the room fitted nearly sixteen. Tall windows with uncharacteristic arches were the only break from the literature.

But after a few short moments, Lena wasn't even concerned with the decor. While many of the people of the room were turned away from her (and each other, for the most part), there was one among them that struck a chord in her. Huddled against the windowsill and surrounded by pillows, a black-haired small girl around her age was slowly curling herself inward.

"Celia!" she nearly yelled overwhelmed by the sense of relief of another familiar face. Dahlia's smile slowly shifted into shock.

"Actually Lena I was hoping, er thinking that you might find someone else you knew..." But Lena had already started walking toward her friend. Putting everything else behind her, she strode over with a small amount of hope welling. She wished, no was _sure_ that Celia could reassure her.

The girl was shivering, and more so with each step Lena took towards her.

"It would be best if—Lena!" Dahlia interrupted herself. Lena's stride didn't falter. The woman made a sudden dash to catch up to her, muttering something under breath. She nearly crashed into Lena who had unexpectedly stopped in her tracks. Celia was whimpering into the pillow she had brought up to her chest.

"Celia...?"

"Lena!" she grabbed Lena's shoulder spinning her around to face the blonde. "You need to be more considerate! Can't you see that she's frightened?" Lena had noticed, but it was too late to escape being chastised. "I hope your stubborn streak hasn't returned in the absence of your memories."

She turned her head away to look at Celia. The slight of girl stared back at her, a single wide eye piercing into her. It was much harsher than when she had first met the girl. What gazed at her now was not mere shyness but sheer terror at _her. _

"Look..." Dahlia's voice softened slightly. "Perhaps this wasn't the best idea. How about we try to find someone else you remember..." Lena pursed her lips. Celia's bangs were draped over her other eye in the same way they had been when they rescued her. But it hung well past her chin. How long ago had that been?

"Maybe you're right..." Lena mumbled.

_"W..wa...wait..." _Dahlia didn't turn around for the soft whisper.

"It's best to leave her alone when she gets like this. It's almost tragic, but this isn't the way to approach her."

_"Pl...please." _

"I know it must bother you, but..."

_"I'm sorry." _That broke it.

"Dahlia. I _need _to talk to her." Lena stated as she turned back to Celia's fearful expression. "It's ok, there is nothing to apologize for. Just..."

"Lena, there's something you don't know." Dahlia began. Lena ignored her.

"Just let me come over. I won't hurt you."

"You see—"

"It can wait. I just need to talk to Celia for a bit." Lena began walking over to the girl who's shaking seemed to have settled into a slight fervour.

_"I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry—"_

"It's ok, there no need to be scared." Celia's mouth clamped up. Lena sat down a generous few feet away from her. Celia glanced at her and then at the floor on her left. He eyes stayed towards the floor.

"Do you remember me? It's Lena. We rescued you from a couple of Guardians. Your ship had gotten damaged in a storm..." Celia remained silent. _Please. _"You were brought onto the St. Nazaire. You were really scared when you woke up but..." Celia slowly began shaking her head. _Please, please please. _"I..."

_"No." _Celia whispered.

"Yes. We used our powers together to..." Celia began trembling furiously. "What's wrong? Don't you remember?" _Please, Celia. _

_"No more stories. I don't want to remember them. You always lie." _Celia seethed.

"We became really good friends!"

_"Friends?"_

"Yes! I taught you how to levitate things!"

_"That's not true." _

"It is!"

_"No _it's not!" Celia raised her voice to near speaking level, frightening both Lena and herself. Shooting a scared look at Lena, she quickly buried face into the pillow.

"I think that's enough Lena." Dahlia was immediately behind her, knees against the back of her shoulders. Dahlia stepped back as she pulled Lena up from her seated position. "Look at her. Do you see what you've done Lena?" She did. Celia had shut herself further, shrinking away from the window and tightening herself on the floor instead.

"What's...what's wrong with her?"

"With _her? _Lena, I'm not really sure that's any of your business at this point. I think you should be more concerned with yourself young lady. Do you have any shame?" Lena sunk her head, biting her lip. Tears pushed hard against her eyes. Normally it was easy for her to hold them back but right now it felt nearly impossible.

"Let's go somewhere else." Dahlia ordered. Lena followed her over to one of the unoccupied chairs that was the farthest away from anyone else. She sat down when Dahlia told her to.

"I should have been more prepared..." Dahlia muttered. "Look, you probably thought what you doing was the right thing but you really need to think things through a bit more. You can't just rush into things so inconsiderately."

"Yeah..." Lena replied.

"And really should listen to me when I tell you to stop. You probably didn't notice, but half the orderlies were getting ready to deck you." Lena looked up. "They thought I had it under control when you stopped. I did too. You can't do things so suddenly!"

"I'm sorry."

"It undermines your position. We're here to protect all the patients, especially from each other. I don't want you labelled as..." Dahlia had softened considerably, much to Lena's surprise. "One of the troublesome ones. Trust is a delicate thing Lena."

"I said I was sorry..."

"And I'm sure you are but you need to _understand _Lena. Do you _understand _Lena?" Dahlia pressed. Lena nodded. "Good."

"But..." Lena began. Dahlia furrowed her brow again, ready to interject. "I'm worried about her. We're friends, aren't we?"

"You were friends, yes."

"_Were?" _Dahlia nodded.

"Were. Celia has always been a very sensitive, quiet girl...her case is trauma related as you might have guessed. Somehow you managed to get her over to one of the checker boards, and after that well, you two were pretty much inseparable. She's the type to sort of latch on to people, but its not easy for her to be comfortable enough to. You didn't seem to mind though."

"The trouble began when she started coming up in your stories. You always were very imaginative..."

"But they're not just stories! I remember everything! Even you!" Lena said. Dahlia opened her mouth slightly as if to say something, but quickly resigned to a slight frown.

"Oh Lena..." Dahlia said softly. "We're back to square one, aren't we?"

"Issac said my brother didn't exist!"

"He doesn't Lena. Have you been seeing him again?"

"No, but it can't be true Dahlia!" She seemed slightly relieved, although she held her concerned expression.

"Well, I suppose we can have small miracles...this is good progress."

"No it's not!"

"But it is Lena." Dahlia turned around, looking for something. She spotted a nearby cushioned armchair that looked like it had seen better days. She pulled it over beside the chair Lena was sitting on. "It may not seem like it right now, but things will get better."

"How can you say that? Didn't you like him?" Lena insisted. Dahlia for a moment, froze. Lena worried for a moment she had gone too far. But she was going to hold onto what she knew. And then slowly, Dahlia began a chuckling.

"I forgot about that. You always paired us together, for some reason. He was quite the flirt wasn't he?" Dahlia said. Lena's heart began to sink. Dahlia was talking like it was all a distant memory, almost as if it never happened. And as far as she was concerned it hadn't. It was just the imaginings of a young, sick girl who needed her help.

"Never mind."

"No Lena, I'm sorry for laughing. That was callous of me." she said. "But I can't encourage these. You became totally wrapped up in them last time they were left unchecked." She thought she was deluded. She remembered that Issac had mentioned her ideas were what got her sent here in the first place. But they felt real, she _knew _they were true, she was sure.

"It just feels so real to me."

"I know, Lena, I know. But you have to let them go."

"I'll try."

"That's all I can ask." Dahlia said reassuringly.

"You said something about last time...what happened?" Dahlia's serious expression returned.

"That actually ties into what I was trying to explain before." Dahlia looked over shoulder at Celia, and then back at Lena. "There are scars under the long bang she uses to hide half of her face. Some of them though are newer than others."

"I know I said I wasn't going to tell you...but Celia had already told you before. Promise me you won't rat me out?" Lena nodded. "Okay."

"There was a fire on her block. They think it was a storm that sparked it but no one's really sure. It destroyed everything. She was the only survivor."

"Oh no..."

"Yeah. She's very conscious of her scars...and her eye on that side doesn't work well. The scar tissue formed in a way that pushed the eye out a bit. She has a hard time keeping it straight."

"A week or so ago, you two were sitting in one of the piles of pillows. No one was really looking since you two had always been so well behaved." Lena gulped. "It's well known that Seijin powers can have healing properties. From what we learned after ward, you decided to try to fix it. You took her hand and tried running some energy through...it nearly killed both of you. There's nothing left of her eye on that side." Dahlia was finished. Lena sat there in silence.

She was aghast. How could she have done that? But it did sound like something she might do. She always did try to help people...but she couldn't believe she try something so foolhardy.

"I...why would I try that?"

"I don't know Lena, why did you? You were often a bit foolish but even I never expected you to try something like that."

"I can't believe it. I can't believe I might have hurt Celia!" Lena had given up on holding herself back. Tears ran down her face.

"I think you cared a lot about Celia. Maybe a bit too much. It was well intended but...good intentions can lead to bad decisions." Dahlia told her. She wrapped an arm around the girl and then pulled her into an embrace. Her hands felt cold to Lena, but she didn't care. It was the first time since waking up anyone had really tried to comfort her. "There there..." It felt good to be hugged by her friend, even if it wasn't the same one she remembered. It took a couple minutes , but eventually she managed to calm herself down enough to stop crying. Dahlia let her sit back in her chair. Lena leaned back and exhaled as she felt the tension leave.

"Better?"

"Yeah, actually. Thank you."

"No problem. It's what I'm here for." Dahlia told her with a smile. She picked up the clipboard from the floor and quickly glanced at her watch.

"Free time is almost over, but we should still be able to fit in quick game of checkers. How about it?" Dahlia asked.

"Sure." Lena said gladly.

_"..ena...an...yo...er...me..."_ there were sounds intermingled with static. She almost swore she could recognize voice.

"What was that?" she asked.

"What was what?"

"That voice."

"I didn't hear anything...Lena are you alright?" Dahlia asked, her concern returning suddenly. Lena realized that hearing voices was probably not a good thing to admit. She shook her head a little.

"I'm fine. I think it was just one of the chairs scratching the floor."

_"...u...re...me" _She would have to ignore it for now. It sounded like it was from the radio on the wall, which was still playing its jazz track.

"Ah, good. So how about I grab the board? You stay here." Dahlia went to go get the board with out getting a reply from Lena. She watched her walk towards the opposite section that had the board games. After a few moments (and a quick look around) she stood up and tried to hurry over to the radio without being _so _fast that the orderlies tried to stop her.

It was too high for her to reach. She might be able to get at it if she jumped, but that would draw too much attention. If only she had her powers!

"Hey, what are you doing?" It was Adrian. His voice was menacing as he strode over.

"I just...wanted to change it to something else. The jazz gets kind of old you know?" she said smiling.

"Too bad. It plays the designated music until otherwise specified. Now go away." he said curtly. She didn't feel like sticking around. Almost racing back to her seat, she managed to sit down before Dahlia came over with the box. It was worn and frayed, being held together with tape that been wrapped several times over. Dahlia noticed her eyeing it warily.

"Don't worry. It has all the pieces...at least all the ones we need." Dahlia said.

"I'll help you set up." Lena said as she held out hands.

"Sure." Dahlia placed the box in her hands and pulled off the lid. She pulled out the board which was flat cardboard piece folder in half. "All the nice ones were taken." Lena didn't mind. She put the box down on her lap as Dahlia placed the board on the floor. They quickly had all the pieces, many of which were chipped on the board.

"No cheating now young lady."

"Hey, I don't cheat!"

"Yes, you just 'set up nice moves' for me whenever I'm not looking. I'll be watching you closely this time." Dahlia winked. Lena almost giggled.

The game went on in mostly silence. Lena was satisfied just being quiet for a while. She wasn't sure she could handled another conversation defaming what she thought was the truth. The game ended in a close victory for her.

"I see you haven't lost your moves." Dahlia said.

"You let me win and you know it."

"Maybe, maybe not. I'm glad you're feeling better." Lena nodded.

"Well we'd better pack up. It's time for lunch."

"I didn't even realize how hungry I was..."

"You've had a tough morning."

They packed the board and pieces up almost as quickly as when they had opened the box.

"I'll go put this away. You stay here ok?" Lena agreed despite her hunger. Dahlia returned shortly and they walked over to the doors opposite those they had come in. Lena glanced over to Celia who hadn't moved.

"Don't worry about her. They'll get someone to help her." Lena wished she could. "Lunch is a little bit better than the breakfast they serve here." she almost grimaced thinking about the meal she had been given this morning.

**A/n: Actually Lena, that sounds exactlylike something you'd do. : /**

**Not the best place to cut it off, but it would have been to long if I had kept going. There was actually another sequence in this, but I had to cut it out since I realized it was an absolutely terrible idea. That's part of why I didn't immediately upload this one with the other two.**

**Next up: more info on Dahlia and some more familiar faces (but I'm sure you were already expecting that).**


	4. clarity?

**A/n: thanks for the comment! Funny thing, when I first saw the review link pop up next to the title I panicked for a moment. I realized there was a possibility that someone might not be ok with how this fic is going. Thanks for the positivity! : )**

The truth was, lunch was in fact marginally better than breakfast. Instead of grey slop, a more promising brown tangy mixture was served alongside another glass of water. Semi-permeable, and surprisingly appetizing chunks of something floated to the surface of the bowl. Lena was glad to see a semblance of something more solid.

"What did I tell you?" Dahlia noted cheerily. Lena smiled weakly at her.

The pastel cafeteria vaguely reminded Lena of the tavern on Puerto Angel. It didn't have a second level than ran around the perimeter but the layout of the ground level was the same. Metal tables were replaced smooth wooden tables (with egg blue plastic edging and cover to assure that there were no sharp edges) that sat six people instead of just two or four. What would have been the bar was a kitchen front with steam tables and a glass front. An aluminium counter with rails ran around it to transport trays. The floor was a similar linoleum to the one in the room she woke up in but better maintained.

Lena ate her food in silent thought. For the first few minutes she was worried that Dahlia might try goad her into a conversation, but the woman seemed to be respecting her silence. The worker was carefully making small notes on her clipboard unfazed by their surroundings. She occasionally took bites of her food. Apparently workers were subjected to the same nutrition regime. As she eyed Dahlia's handwriting, a number of questions came to mind. She would have to wait though. Lena could sense that, like her, Dahlia was also deep in thought (over her probably).

Other workers in similar attire were scattered between patients seated at the other tables. They were sorted by age, circling around their table chronologically. Tables that didn't have patients were filled with orderlies and other staff. Her table seemed to be exception to the rule. She was suddenly feeling more conscious of herself, again. It unnerved her how the place seemed to do it when she least expected it. The occasional glances from other patients didn't help.

She recognized them. They were the children from Puerto Angel, specifically the ones they had rescued from the orphanage. The familiarity settled uneasily. She had secretly hoped that she might find someone she didn't recognize. Someone who could break the pattern of the morning's events. She had a feeling that the people behind them weren't the kids she remembered.

Looking around only confirmed her suspicions. Some chatted amiably amongst themselves and with the staff or to themselves. Others seemed sullen and distant. There was someone missing though.

"Hey Dahlia..." she said calmly. "Where's Lucas?" Dahlia dropped her pen.

"Hm? Oh, Lucas was transferred out a few weeks ago. He surpassed the age restriction for this section so we had to move him." Dahlia answered distractedly.

"Whatcha writing?" Lena asked casually.

"Oh, I was just making some notes."

"On what?"

"On...well a number of things." Lena raised an eyebrow as Dahlia tried to subtly place a flat palm on the paper.

"I thought we were friends." Lena said.

"We are..."

"So why can't you tell me? I can't be that confidential if you're writing it in here." Lena said, with a nod to the side.

"You're right, but it's best if you don't know the exact contents. There are certain limitations to what a patient should know about how we think they are doing." she explained.

"And how am I doing?" Lena pressed with more irritation than she intended.

"Good compared to before. In light of that I was thinking about making some amendments to your schedule, actually." Dahlia said smiling. Lena realized she didn't have any reference for what that might entail. What had they set her up for, and did she want it changed? Would it be something she liked?

"You were going to see Issac again just before dinner but I think it would be best for you to do something more like your old routine." _Like throwing rocks. _Lena was glad for the reprieve from another one of Issac's upsetting sessions. "I thought it might be better for you to have something familiar for a while until you get your bearings on things." _And trying to figure out who else I've apparently hurt. _

"Lena!" a young, almost shrill voice called right behind her. She turned sharply in her seat.

"Spencer?" She had thought it was only children from Puerto Angel. He must have been sitting at one of the tables behind her. She grimaced inwardly, but made sure to smile.

"Where have you been?" he said with the superficial unhappiness children often intone. He held out his arms, but pulled back when Dahlia shook her head.

"Spencer, Lena is undergoing some changes right now. She might not be feeling as well right now." Spencer nodded slowly.

"I feel fine." Lena stated.

"It's okay Lena! The doctors know what they're doing. They always treat us really nicely and stuff...I even got to have some candy before supper!"

"Who let you—never mind, I think I know who it is." Dahlia interjected.

"Don't be mad! I was the one who asked..."

"It's alright Spencer. You're not in trouble." Spencer seemed immensely relieved, as he immediately regained his happy expression. "Looks like I'll need to have a word with someone...again." Dahlia muttered.

Unlike Celia, Spencer seemed fairly normal. And a lot like the one she remembered. Why was he here? She couldn't ask directly, but maybe there was another way to find out.

"Say Spencer..."

"Yeah?"

"Do you remember Shinseki?"

"The crazy lady who kidnapped my mom?" Spencer asked knowingly. Lena was filled with relief.

"Yeah."

"Spencer..." Dahlia warned.

"I remember that one! And I used a boomerang to destroy the machine right? That was fun." _Fun? Shinseki was disturbing. _"I wish I had a real boomerang...too bad Mahad isn't real..."

"...a story." the disappointment in her voice was obvious.

"Yeah, you always had lots of cool adventures with him!" he said excitedly. "I gotta go back to my table now but I'll come back when you're feeling better!"

"I said I was fine..." Lena muttered as he spun around and hurried back to his table.

"Are you alright Lena? You should probably finish your food before it gets cold." Dahlia asked. Lena turned to face her meal again. She had been more than half way done. Dahlia had barely been eating at all.

"Speak for yourself." she joked.

"I'm already done." Dahlia said. Lena looked, and sure enough, Dahlia's bowl and glass were empty and scraped clean. Lena blinked and then not wanting to seem too awkward, decided to focus on finishing her own food. As she slurped up the remaining portion, she wondered about more about Dahlia.

While she had seen that many of the other staff ate their own lunches, Dahlia had for reasons she couldn't imagine settled for what amounted to cafeteria slop. As a medical worker she expected that Dahlia would be allocated enough to provide her own substantially better homemade meals. In fact, the idea of her friend as any kind of doctor felt odd.

While she had always like her dearly as a friend and respected her as a crew member, the idea of Dahlia attending medical school seemed...beyond her means. She was a strong fighter, a decent pilot and a good navigator, but as a student she wasn't the most scholarly. She was certainly more knowledgeable than herself, but she also had enough years on Lena to account for a great deal of it. Dahlia had never struck her so much as the intellectual type. She didn't look down on her friend, in fact she often admired the other aspects of her personality but as doctor she just couldn't see it. _Maybe a nurse though._

"If you don't mind me asking Dahlia, why don't you have your own lunch?" Lena asked.

"I'm not much of a cook, and the stuff they serve is good for you. When you work a lot it's easier not to have to make your own meals."

"But the other workers seem to be able to manage it. And I don't think I would eat this stuff if I had a choice." Lena pointed out. For a moment, Dahlia didn't say anything.

"It's...also free."

"You're a doctor aren't you? I'm sure you have enough to manage a decent meal."

"Lena..." Dahlia started. Although unhappy at the turn in the conversation, she didn't seem irritated. If anything, she seemed a little saddened to be reminded of what she wasn't eating. "You're right. I should have enough for more than this stuff."

"I knew it."

"Don't be too excited. I actually told you most of this before, and its not entirely a happy story." Dahlia said. Lena looked straight at her friend.

"What are you spending it on?"

"An old friend. He's a patient, actually."

"Really? Is he here?"

"Oh no, he's older than me. Definitely too old to be in here. But he wasn't always one. He was responsible for helping me after my family passed away when I was young. It wasn't until I finished my internship that I found out about the troubles he had developed. It pained me a lot to see him like that. He had always been such a strong figure in my life..." Dahlia trailed off for a moment. "They were going to cut off his treatment when the funds he had been left with ran out. I intervened."

"And now you take care of him?" Lena asked gently. As she watched Dahlia's expression change during her story, it was like she was seeing her friend all over again. It reminded her of the Dahlia she knew. She would definitely make a sacrifice like that for someone important.

"I couldn't even if I wanted to. Can't let personal relationships get in the way of treatment. I wouldn't be able to maintain my professional attitude. But I do get to see him sometimes." Lena smiled.

"You're a good person Dahlia."

"I—what? Oh, thank you Lena. It's nice to hear you say that." Dahlia replied.

_ I saw her, the real Dahlia! I know she's in there, somewhere. I just need to find a connection._

"So how about that rock throwing? When can we do that?" Lena asked a little quickly.

"Soon I'm sure. The next chance you get to go outside I'll make sure I'm available."

"You mean you're not—" _always with me. _It was a stupid thought that she was embarrassed to finish aloud. Of course Dahlia had other things, other people to attend to.

"I'm not going to be with you after lunch, no. I have some other duties to take care of. But I'll see you soon, ok?" she said with a neat smile. Lena returned it almost wholeheartedly. But not quite.

_ Looks like I'll be on my own. Dahlia will just have to wait for me. _

Almost simultaneously the occupants of the cafeteria began rising from their seats. They gradually arranged themselves in a line at the end of the counter. Lena watched for a few moments, and then seeing Dahlia join the ranks quickly stumbled over the bench to follow her.

After depositing their trays, Dahlia turned to her as if she had almost forgotten:

"Oh! That's right, you probably don't know which group to go with. I'll walk you over."

"Thank you."

She expected the group to be sorted similarly to the cafeteria and was pleased to find that she was right. Lena was the youngest, although the group didn't seem by more than maybe two years. The group was huddled around a girl a little older than her. The ginger hair wasn't cropped for Guardian duty, but she recognized her immediately.

_Alice._

The people around her seemed to be listening intently as she spoke to them in a low voice. The small crowd included Jake, Thomas and a girl she knew named Enza. Although it was muffled, Lena realized Alice's tone was harsh. She slowed a moment, hesitation cupping her stomach. Dahlia seemed to have disappeared.

"Ah, Lena." Alice said. It wasn't very welcoming. "Speak of the devil..."

_What does she think I've done? _

"Hi Alice, everyone." she said sincerely. The serious looks she was given told her not to expect her greeting to be returned.

_ I guess I'm going to find out, whether I like it or not._

"I heard from Spencer's table that you're not feeling so well."

"I don't want to catch whatever she has." Enza muttered. She had long wiry black hair that hung limply around her small chubby face. Her brown eyes squinted for a moment at Lena as she made her statement.

"Don't worry, it's not contagious." Alice said flatly. _There's no way she could know about my supposed amnesia. _"She wouldn't be here if it was."

"Good." the dark haired boy, Thomas said. He was the shortest among them, but with a lean build that made it seem like his growth had been stunted in the awkward phase of puberty just after its onset. The last one, Jake, said nothing, content to stare at her as the others voiced their mutual feelings for him. Lena imagined, with his curled blonde hair and nicely set jawline he might have been kinder under a different light.

"We're going for one of our classes now. Unfortunately, since we don't have a choice in the matter, you'll be coming with us." The collected dislike for her was intimidating. It was like standing under the shadow of a looming building—one that leaned toward her, daring her to try and run away before it crushed her.

"I...can just stand in the back." she said nervously.

"As long as it means I don't have to look at you." Alice said. She turned quickly on her heel but not before adding an unfinished: "I can't believe...". The rest of the group followed her, each giving her a separate look as they turned around. She meekly walked up behind the line, trying her best not to let her head hang too obviously.

The walk to the classroom was eerily silent. Not even the quiet murmurs, the ones she knew they were thinking, escaped the lips of the people who hated her. It probably had something to do with the orderlies standing around them, ushering them to the desired locations.

_I'm almost glad Alice didn't finish what she was saying. But I need to know what they think happened if I'm going to get anywhere._

It dawned on her just then as she looked up at the back of their heads. There five including hers, but the other groups had been cut evenly. _Celia..._

_ Is that why they hate me? For hurting her? I can't really blame them._

_ They're probably scared of me. I would be too if someone...did what they think I did. But can't do __**anything **__like that with this thing on. _She could feel the composite pressed against the skin of her neck. _And I certainly don't want to hurt anyone. But how can I make them believe me?_

"We're here." Alice said to no one. The door was gently impressed into the wall, barely noticeable in the pale green paint. It slid open sideways to show a similarly coloured room filled with aged desks and a blackboard against three of the four sides. Across from them windows had been squeezed across forming a narrow peak into the world outside. The light of open sky streamed in over the classroom. Alice flicked a switch beside the door as she walked in, drowning it in its fluorescent counterpart.

A bulky metal desk stood to the far left of the room. A broad but not rotund man stood imperialistically behind it. His grey hair curled itself in an unrefined manner that seemed out of place with the well fitted grey suit he wore. _Another face to mull over. _

Maxwell's remained stoic as the students walked stiffly into the room along the back row. Standing a couple feet apart they turned to face him. They bowed obediently, lowering their heads just enough so signify a moment of respect. Standing erect again, they proudly held their hands together behind their backs. Lena stared at them.

Max looked them over, nodding. Feeling his gaze on her she turned to him. He looked at her expectantly.

"Well girl?" the voice was the same as the bumbling man she knew, but overlaid with a bluntness that wasn't in the least reminiscent. Alarm rang inside her head.

_Why does this seem so wrong? I should know this, shouldn't I?_

Despite herself, she found herself mimicking the others in a restrained bow. She was desperately refusing it.

"Good enough I suppose. You'll get better with time." he told her.

"You may be seated." he said to the rest of the class. They relaxed and moved to different seats in no particular order or arrangement. Despite the earlier formality, everyone was free to sit where they wanted. Lena felt most comfortable simply taking the desk in the back row in front of her. Alice sat near the front, with Thomas a few seats over in the row behind with Enza sitting beside him. Jake sat at the desk immediately in front of her as if trying to block the view.

"Today we will be covering more of the history portion of your curriculum." Both boys groaned while Alice, from what she could see remained seeming intent with her hands folded politely in front of her.

"Useless crap." Jake muttered.

"You'll be eager to know that we have reached the post-calamity portion of what you're required to know."

"So we'll get to find out how the Sphere crushed those damn rebels?" Thomas asked.

"Eventually. First, we must start at the beginning where amidst the chaos one group would come to humanity's rescue." he paused "and where one would inevitably try to undo their valiant efforts."

_That wording seems a little dramatic..._Lena thought, raising an eyebrow.

The rest of the class made no indication of the same notion.

A ghostly blue digital keyboard and screen materialized across the surface of her desk.

"As always, take notes on anything you think is important, but know that any and all material is liable to appear in any relevant examinations. Now..." Max well began in a dull lecturer's tone. It was nigh impossible not to tune the man out, Lena found. Her classmates however were taking notes studiously. From what she gathered, however, the lesson was mostly a rehash of what she had learned before leaving Babylonia. Still, she made sure to type enough for a refresher later.

_Not the most exciting, is it? _A voice chimed in her mind. Lena blinked. _But we have to graduate eventually, even if we're sick. _She tried her best to ignore it. _It's our duty. _Her fingers halted, hovering over the screen. _You always hated that idea._

_ Look, please don't hurt me. _What was she supposed to do? _You can at least respond. _She drummed her fingers against the side of the desk briefly. Jake turned his head, catching her in his periphery vision.

"Oh." he said. "Well we're not technically allowed to do that anyway. Of course since Max isn't a seijin, it's a lot harder for him to notice as long as you can hold yourself." he whispered.

"What did you want?" she whispered back.

"I'm bored." _Aren't we all? _

"Why are you talking to me? I though you didn't like me."

"I don't I guess. It bothers me what you did. But I know you weren't trying to hurt her."

"But I did." _Apparently._

"Yeah, well..." he didn't finish. They went back to their notes for a while.

_What does he want me to say? _

"Alice seems pretty upset with me."

"Duh. You betrayed your best friend." _My best friend? Does he mean Celia or Alice?_

"Uh, they got me on some new medication."

"A new treatment plan then..."

"Yeah, my memory is a little hazy..."

"You want me to spell it out?" he was sceptical and irate.

"If you wouldn't mind." she asked calmly. He sighed very slowly, trying to guise it as a soft yawn.

"You were always really obsessed with your ideas. I don't know how but you got Alice in on them too. Convinced her that you needed to get her out of here for some reason. That the Sphere were the bad guys and she needed to get the word out."

"When it of course backfired she got all the blame. You were totally delusional. They had a hard time holding you accountable for much."

"You pretty much acted like she didn't exist after ward. You became friends with Celia and, well, you must at least remember _that._"

_But I met Celia long before Alice, didn't I? _Something white flashed across her field.

"I'm sorry." she said.

"I'm not the one you need to apologize to." Jake seethed.

_ You're surprisingly lucid all of a sudden _he directed. _I guess whatever they're doing must be working._

_A little too well, if you ask me. _Lena thought back, knowing it was futile.

"Now just hold on a minute there girl." Max called from his desk just as Lena was about to leave. She cringed as her classmates chuckled as they reformed the line just outside the door. "There's something I need to discuss with you." Jake caught her off guard with a sympathetic glance. She walked up to the desk doing her best to ignore the daggers aimed at her back.

"Yes sir?" she said politely.

"I received a message during the lesson informing me of your situation. Your earlier behaviour is excused."

"Thank you."

"However I would recommend you resharpen your ability to take note of what's going on around you. I would have let you off if you had had the sense to follow your peers' lead instead of just gawking." He admonished. She simply nodded.

"I did also notice the tension between you."

"They're not very happy with me right now."

"Your transgressions are hard to ignore." he said. She simply nodded. There was no arguing that. "You were misled by your foolish nature into caring far too much about that girl and ended up scarring her for life." Lena wanted to leave. She had enough lectures for the day.

"The Sphere doesn't have much use for a crippled seijin. You lot are fortunate that the Sphere has deemed you worth its time and investment into fixing. You'd still be on your home blocs without care or shelter if it weren't for them."

_I'd still be with my brother._

"If she is fortunate, once she recovers she will be able to service the Sphere through paper work."

"Hopefully." was all she managed.

"Yes, hopefully..." he agreed disinterestedly. "I thought I might give you some advice."

"Thank you sir."

"You can thank me once I've seen you take it to heart." he said. Placing his hand under the desk, he pulled out a card. Lena saw an ace of hearts. He twirled it between his fingers, bending it slightly as it moved over his fingers.

"Your peers don't like you because they still think you're the naive little girl who who hurt their friends." He took the card into his palm. "Perhaps they may be more receptive to you if they saw you had changed for the better." He handed her the card. She saw that it was the ace of spades. "A show of loyalty, perhaps."

"Loyalty?" she asked.

"Yes, loyalty. Loyal to this reality, to those you should be to. I understand that you're clearer now than you have been since coming here. Make the most of it, while you can." She handed him back the card.

_I will never swear myself over to the Sphere._ Max gave her a harsh look.

"Alright." she told him. "Where did you learn that?"

"Learn what?" he asked, confused.

"That thing with the card."

"Oh, its just some silly parlour trick meant to amuse children. Its not important." _It is to me. Cards were Max's trade. _"Don't think too much of it. Now, run along."

Lena waited until she was turned away from him before she smiled softly to herself as she walked towards the door. Adrian was waiting for her outside.

"Come with me. You're late for your next class." Lena didn't bother answering him. She walked with him to wherever the rest of the group had gone, which happened to be just a couple rooms down from where they had been.

An older male was explaining something to the class, clearly enthused by the subject matter. The voice of the man teaching made her feel an apprehensive sense of comfort. She wasn't sure it was worth letting herself take it, if it was only to set her up for another let down. But she had little choice in the matter, as the door slid open and she was pushed into the room.

**A/n: Who is the man Dahlia is contributing for I wonder? **

** I realized what had been sorely missing from this while writing this chapter. Lena's thoughts, in italics. Don't know how I messed that up since more of it was planned from the beginning. Expect more of it from now on. **

** As always, your thoughts are appreciated. : )**


	5. F(r)iend

**03/08/2014: I realize that some people may have sort of forgotten about this fic since it went from updating every few days to sudden gap of a week and a half. Rest assured it has not been dropped, I just have other things going on as well. I am however considering writing a number of chapters and then queuing them to be released every few days since I know not to expect much attention per chapter. We'll see what happens.**

  
The classroom was more or less the same as the one that Max had used. Except that beakers of varying shapes and scales on the counter running along the window. Many of them were stained on the inside with thin brown coating. It was either a sign of not being cleaned very well, or not being used for a long time. Lena had a sinking suspicion that it was the latter. Warmth radiated from the front of the room.

"Ah, Lena! It's good to see you." the Vector stopped mid explanation to genuinely beam at her. Her classmates were less enthused with the interruption. Enza rolled her eyes. The rest, especially Alice, didn't even deign to pay Lena any attention by looking her way. She imagined they were glaring straight ahead as the Vector quickly composed himself.

"Take a seat and we can continue where we left off. I was just reviewing the thermodynamic concepts we were looking at a couple weeks ago..." he told her. The man trailed off as he turned back to the blackboard behind him. If the energy behind his chalk marks was any indication, he was already absorbed in the material again.

Lena took her seat behind Jake again. The others had mirrored their positions in the previous class. Routine seemed to be well established within the group. For a moment she wondered how much she was disturbing it, but she quickly dismissed the thought. The question of how she might have fit into it at one point bothered her more.

The lecture material, unlike before, tried its best to hold her attention. Which was strange, since she had never been overly fond of the sciences. She suspected that it had something to do with the man teaching it. He had often tried to share his appreciation with her, at least according to what she remembered.

It had come in the form of his many hypotheses, trying to formulate the mechanics of seijin powers. Most of his tests were harmless enough and she was more than willing to participate. The attention to her powers, which were often scrutinized for less than their worth, was nice. It made her confident in her ability, and the various ways in which he asked her to exercise it for his studies had given her the opportunity to hone some aspects of it. Regardless of the outcome, he usually tried to explain to her the technical details of the experiment he was conducting. While he would try to simplify parts that she obviously didn't have the background to understand, he often lapsed into jargon that was beyond her.

At first his obtuseness to her confusion upset her, but in time she found she was able to grasp more and more of it, if only in a round about way. She would have to apply herself to gain a deeper understanding. And she very well considered doing that on occasion, but it was usually overwhelmed by a drive to investigate her growing powers. The quicker success found in it was satisfying and quite frankly, more exciting than hours spent in quiet study.

She watched the Vector as moved back and forth across the board, turning his head to the side to try to project his voice better. A better teacher would have focused more on facing the class, but Lena knew him better than that. Soon enough he would turn around without so much as a pause and present a question to the class, one that he would expect her to answer.

Minutes passed. Then it was nearly the end of the class and he had yet to press the them for any kind of answer. He seemed content to simply lecture them on the material. The man would turn to face them every so often, but he never asked for their insight either.

_It's strange. Usually he's a lot more inquisitive. _

As he turned around again, Lena tried to meet his gaze. He stared not at them, but a point just above their heads. Lena stiffened, posturing herself to try to grab his attention. His eyes glazed over them as he turned back around.

_Is he avoiding everyone or just me? For a teacher he seems rather...absent. _

The entire black surface of the board was filled with prin

_In a lot of ways he's the Vector I know. _

He wore a long white overcoat over his grey jacket and black pants. His steely hair was cut tersely as always and there was not a single wrinkle missing on his ageing face. [more here]

_And he certainly has some of the eccentricity I remember, but something seems off. Normally he would love to teach something, especially if it was related to his work._

_ But the most important thing about the Vector is that if you ask, he will answer you.  
_

The lecture seemed to end sooner than it should have. The Vector even stopped mid sentence to dismiss them. He rushed to pack the notes laid across the desk in front of him. Half of them nearly floated to the floor as he grabbed them.

_ Don't leave yet! I need to talk to you!_

Her distress must have been obvious, as Enza cracked her a thin smile.

"Sir." she said calmly. The Vector almost didn't notice her as he continued to fumble to grab the last note that had been brushed off in his rush. He stopped a moment, seeming to realize that she was addressing him.

"Yes, Enza?" he replied quickly.

"You seem to be in a hurry."

"As much as I enjoy teaching you, I do have other duties." he told her. "You know that, so why are—"

"So your research is going well then?" she asked. His eyes creased slightly, trying to examine her words.

_What is _this_ Vector researching? If he's working here it can't be about block movement._

He seemed to have decided that his suspicion was unwarranted as his expression lightened.

"It is. We've made some good progress. Now if you'll excuse me..." he said. The man walked around the edge of the desk, black folder in hand tucked under his arm.

"Are you not going to take Lena with you?"

"Excuse me?"

"Well I mean usually she goes with you for supper to help you out with stuff. Your experiments."

"She's your best subject." Alice said. There was no malice in her voice. It was simply a matter of fact. The Vector glanced at Lena. It was firm and didn't give any hints as to what he was thinking.

_Why am I being singled out? _

"Today's analysis doesn't require a seijin."

"Why not? Aren't you trying to figure out how we tick?" Enza continued. The Vector was at the door now, but it didn't open for him.

"Among other things. I suggest—"

"Is there something wrong? You used to like telling us about it. About how much better it will be once you figure it out."

"_I suggest _you stop this line of inquiry." he said. The anger caught Lena off guard. Was the Vector always this irritable?

"Something wrong with _her_?" Thomas interjected with a small chuckle.

"So we don't end up without our powers." Enza said. The collar around Lena's neck was stiff against her throat. "Or worse."

"That's unrelated." the Vector stated. He stared down at Enza, unwavering. Enza held her gaze. Jake looked between the two as if he was worried one of them might burst open. Alice was surprisingly apathetic, staring blandly at the older man standing at the door. It slid open behind him, finally.

"I don't know what you think we're doing, but I can assure you that you have been misled." he told them. Not waiting for a response, he turned and left the room. There was an awkward quiet between the teenagers as he left.

"There's still some time left before we actually have to leave." Alice said. She spoke to Enza more than anyone else. "If there's something you want to say, say it now." Enza bit her lip as the door closed.

"There's nothing to say." she muttered bitterly.

"Then let's go." Alice said. She stood up from her desk and coolly walked down the row towards the door. As she passed, the rest of them stood up to follow her. Lena was the last to leave.

Dinner was held more casually than lunch. Patients of different ages were more intermingled, although that may have been because of a noticeable decline in the number of staff joining them. Alice and the other people from her classes sat together at a table across the hall from her.

She could see a space beside Jake. It would have been inviting if it weren't for the occasional looks being shot her way. She could fill the gap if they wanted her. But of course they didn't. They had made that clear.

_How can I get them to like me again? I might be able to talk to Jake, but I don't think the others would let me in. _

The doors beside their table swung open inward as there was another influx of patients. They were younger than her, probably the youngest group in the room. Dahlia appeared behind them as they filed in. Thankful for the distraction, Lena gave her a small smile. Dahlia returned it whole-heartedly with a nod that seemed to say that she would be right over. She ushered the group to the kitchen line, and then casually walked over to the table Lena was sitting at.

"Alone again, then." Lena's mouth hung open a bit. _That's a bit blunt. _

"Uh, yeah."

"Don't worry. They'll come around eventually." _Somehow I doubt that, but sure._

Dahlia sat across from her this time. Her clipboard landed unceremoniously on the table as she dropped it. The blonde weaved her fingers together and stretched her hands as high as she could above her head. Her shoulder cracked.

"_Much _better." Dahlia breathed, relieved. "So how was your afternoon?" she asked casually. Her hands were now under her chin as she leaned forward on her elbows. It was distinctly feminine, stuck Lena as a little odd.

"It was alright." Lena replied.

"Just alright?"

"We had classes. Nothing really exciting." she said. Dahlia seemed a little dismayed.

"I suppose school isn't that exciting, is it?" Lena nodded. "But if any of you are going to serve the Sphere, you have to be educated." she finished. Lena blinked, but Dahlia seemed unfazed by her own statement. "Sure its not the academy quite but their regime would be a bit much for you guys." Lena stared across at her.

_This __**can't **__be Dahlia. She couldn't say something like that with a straight face no matter what the situation was._

"What if...we don't want to work for the Sphere?"

"Why wouldn't you?"

"Because they're evil!" Lena said with more force than she intended. A couple patients turned to look at them. Dahlia's expression grew serious. Her mouth formed a flat line and her eyes creased.

"The Sphere isn't _evil _Lena. That's a very childish way of looking at things."

"They drain everyone for every last drop of water they have, and then some. They have more than what they know what to do with. And they kill anyone who tries to do anything about it! They're ruthless."

"If people were more conservative with their water, they might not find themselves running out. The Sphere has needs too. And besides, the only reason taxes are so high is because so much of it is stolen."

"So they make everyone else pay for it?"

"The water distribution is a well designed system. It would work better if shipments actually made it to their destination."

"I've seen them kill people over nothing!"

"No, you haven't Lena. You've been here for years. Babylonia has an extremely low mortality rate, and the causes of death are natural." Dahlia's hands left her chin as she straightened her back. She looked at Lena hard. She saw no faltering in the blonde's eyes.

"You're not old enough to remember, but it was chaos after the Earth shattered. All of the old infrastructure was broken. Death and destruction were rampant, and not all of it was because of the break-up. The people fought amongst themselves. Even when I was child we felt the effects."

"The Sphere was the only hope of salvaging what remained of humanity. Not everyone agrees with our methods, but the people failed miserably when they tried to govern themselves."

"You make it sound you're part of it." Lena said.

"I do technically work for the Sphere, Lena. I have very little to do with their operations though, of course." Dahlia added. It sounded almost happy compared to her tone through out the explanation. Lena's stomach threatened to turn itself over as she sat there, frozen.

_I can't...but here's Dahlia, supporting the Sphere right in front of me. And she seems so sincere. That's what hurts the most._

"It may be intimidating, but I'm sure once you recover you'll be brilliant Lena." Dahlia assured her. Lena nodded numbly. As sick as the idea of working for the Sphere made her, it was difficult to argue with her friend. Dahlia was sure in her faith in the Sphere and a young delusional girl wasn't going to change that.

Maintaining a slight frown, Dahlia tilted her head to the side as Lena held her silence. Almost as an afterthought, she benignly put forth a question to the girl.

"Does this have to do with your mother Lena?" Dahlia asked gently. Lena went wide-eyed at this.

_Mom!_

"Oslo took her away from us!" Lena stated adamantly. Dahlia seemed unmoved by the girl's discomfort. "But we got her back, and I defeated him."

"I thought as much."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lena said.

The sound of metal being ripped out interrupted Lena before she could ask further. The door Dahlia had entered through was sent crashing to the floor. Enza, the closest one sitting to the entrance yelped and abandoned her tray, practically jumping out of her seat to run around the table. Neither of the male teenagers yelled out, but both very clumsily mimicked Enza and quickly hopped over the table knocking most of the food over. Alice was the only one to remain seated, her mouth agape and her eyes trapped on the destruction unfolding in front of her.

Barrelling through the opening came a bulky man dressed in pale blue hospital scrubs. Even with the baggy outfit she could tell the man was muscular, although not toned as well as she remembered. The long ginger hair that had been left untied though was unmistakable.

_Cortes!_

Cortes stood over the door on the floor, quickly taking in the room as he glanced around. He breathed deeply and heavily, his chest visibly sagging with each exhale. His hands were white knuckled fists. They shook angrily at his sides as he searched the room. After surveying the scene several times over, he growled.

"Where is she?!" the fury in his voice was unrelenting.

The orderlies snapped into action with surprising speed. Despite their bored, slack postures they were quick to react. Their vigilance was not be underestimated Lena realized.

Three, including Adrian pounced on the man. Two grabbed his arms as Cortes furiously flailed to shake them off. The third tackled him from behind, sending all four men to the floor. The pair pinned his arms while the third held himself over his back forcing Cortes into a prone position. His legs, unrestricted threatened to push him out from under their grasp.

From the open entrance came another man of similar musculature. His hospital scrubs looked strange against his arms, the sleeves almost too small. His deep ebony skin on his arms though showed his much better toned physique. Bright green eyes stared down at the man on the floor. His black hair was was closely shaved.

_Wayan?_

He held a syringe filled with a clear liquid. Walking around the ensemble he knelled down in front of the man. With his back turned to her Lena couldn't read his lips. She strained to hear what he might have might have told him over the the yelling of some of the younger patients. He injected the syringe into Cortes' arm. Despite resisting up until that point, the man stilled for the tranquilizer having been calmed by whatever Wayan had said.

After a minute so Cortes went slack. The orderlies formerly restraining his arms lifted him from the floor with considerable effort both grunting as they stood up. With one on each shoulder, they dragged him back over the fallen door into the hall where Lena assumed they had a stretcher to carry him.

It took a while to calm the patients after the disruption. Several had to be removed from the room, too frightened to continue eating. The children battered the staff helping them with questions, grating curiosity overwhelming the terror they had just been experiencing.

"Who was he looking for?" Lena asked Dahlia after most had been seated.

"I don't think he was looking for a person."

"But he said something about a girl."

"...ships are often referred to as 'she'." Dahlia said.

_She definitely recognized him. But that must mean..._

"Is he the one you're helping pay for?" Lena asked when Dahlia didn't continue. She nodded. "...and the guy with the syringe was,"

"Wayan, yes. I'm glad you remember." Dahlia interrupted. Her voice was sullen.

"Dahlia?" Lena said, concerned.

"They have an interesting relationship, don't they?" Dahlia asked her. "Although I guess you don't remember..." Lena shook her head.

"Wayan and I both knew him before he came here."

"I thought you couldn't work with patients you knew personally."

"You can't, at least not on this level. Wayan is in charge of outdoor recreation and physical activities. He does his best to keep you guys in shape."

"Some like to spend their free time running around rather than sitting in the lounge. Cortes has always been strong, and he didn't want to lose that. There are some restrictions, but he works with Wayan since he's one of the few that can keep up. We don't have too many staff in that department since most patients tend to very casual about whatever they're playing and don't need much supervision." Dahlia said.

_Somebody else I remember. But they're not the person I remember of course._

Dahlia looked over her shoulder at the table by the door. Some of the orderlies had moved the door off the floor and were sweeping up the debris. The gaping holes in the frame where the hinges had been were covered in tape to prevent anyone from hurting themselves on it.

"You know...this might be an good opportunity."

"Hm?" Lena mumbled as she looked around Dahlia. The other teenagers had not returned yet to the table, instead huddling over the table beside them. Alice had continued her meal as if the incident had never happened. Dahlia gave her a slow wink and turned her clipboard towards herself surveying the notes. Lena, realizing her intent grabbed her tray and walked over to the table on the far side of the room. She made a point of not walking too briskly as to draw the other teenagers back to the table.

"Hey, Alice." she tried to say casually as she reached the table. Her voice wobbled a bit. Alice sipped her water without so much glancing at Lena.

_Should I sit down?_ Lena wondered. Opting to remain standing, she continued talking to the girl.

"Um, I thought we might finish our suppers together." her voice was unsteady still. "You know, like old times..."

"What do you want?" Alice said curtly. She nearly slammed her glass down as she did.

"I thought we might talk a bit."

"And what's to stop me from calling them back over? They're over there because they're scared they'll come running if they think you're harassing me."

"Please, Alice..."

"I guess its easier to get us when we're alone."

"Because..." _She's angry because she believes I hurt her and Celia. So there's only one thing she's going to want to hear from me. _"I want to apologize."

Alice looked at her harshly, as if trying to scrutinize Lena's intent from her face. Lena gulped as Alice glared up at her. Alice's eyes creased more as the silence dragged on. Then she drew them back to her food.

"Alright." she said finally. Lena sighed in relief and sat down across from her.

_I lead her on for some story right? So..._

"I'm sorry for dragging you into my...delusions. And for abandoning you after it went sour." she said. Alice watched her. "As you know I'm under a new treatment regime thing...and anyway things are a lot clearer now. I see that what I did was wrong. I misled you and then acted like you didn't exist."

"I'm really sorry Alice." she said with a finality that she hoped would convey sincerity. Alice put down her utensils and straightened herself. She stared at Lena as she wrapped her hands on the table in front of her.

"Well...that apology was...mediocre." Lena cringed a little.

"But the thing is, the Lena I knew was too stubborn to face the consequences of her actions. She was never wrong, and even if she was she'd brush it off like a child."

"So..."

"Apology accepted." Alice said. Lena expected her to smile, but she didn't. "I'll let the others know we're on speaking terms."

"Thank you Alice."

"Just...this doesn't make us friends alright?"

_I suppose that would have been too easy. But I understand._

"Alright, that's fair." Lena told her. Alice's eyes picked up something behind Lena.

"You better finish that quick. I think you're friend wants you for something."

Lena turned around sharply, seeing Dahlia walking over with Adrian trailing behind her. Looking back at the remains of her meal she quickly chugged the water and left the rest of the potatoes. There wasn't enough time to finish them anyway.

"Hey Alice." Dahlia greeted. Alice nodded at her and then returned to eating.

"It looks like Issac wants to see you again Lena."

"Already?"

"I couldn't hold it off for too long for you. He's very insistent." Dahlia said. "You can just leave the tray." The urgency seemed unnecessary, but she complied. Pushing the tray towards the centre of the table she lifted her legs over the bench. She stood up in between Dahlia and Adrian who flanked her on either side as they left the cafeteria.

**A/n: "Hey Ali-" "YOU'VE ACTIVATED MY TRAP LENA. TEENAGERS ASSEMBLE!"**

**Sorry, it popped into my head why I was writing it. Don't mind me I'm a goose. **

**Thoughts so far? Reviews are welcomed and appreciated.**


	6. or (2)

**I realize that some people may have sort of forgotten about this fic since it went from updating every few days to sudden gap of a week and a half. Rest assured it has not been dropped, I just have other things going on as well. I am however considering writing a number of chapters and then queuing them to be released every few days since I know not to expect much attention per chapter. We'll see what happens.**

The walk, or march as Lena felt it, was shorter leaving from the food court towards Issac's office than the opposite. Which was strange since they would have been going around the lounge rather than through it. Lena didn't spend very long mulling over the building scheme though. There was something familiar about the orderly to the right of her.

It was the same feeling she had gotten that morning when she had been escorted out of her holding cell. Her head had been too thick then to really take it in, but now she was feeling surprisingly lucid. Not entirely normal, but there was no fog obscuring her trail of thought. She suspected it has something to do with the time that had passed since being made to take her 'pills'. The man beside her was markedly more weary looking than whatever image she was trying to recall, that much she could tell, but there was something distinct in the way he carried himself.

He was stiff as you would expect what was essentially a bodyguard to be. He held his gaze directly ahead, barely glancing at his surroundings as they moved through the corridor. The skin over his fists was taut. The tense posture seemed natural to him, but there was a nervousness in the way he clutched his arms close to his shoulders. His eyes remained creased in what was almost a scowl, but they flickered anxiously as he stared ahead.

_He's worried about something. But it doesn't seem to me this time._

Adrian's black hair was just long enough to cover the pale scalp underneath. It was a simple style, rounded under the back of his head and brought into sharp sideburns in front of his ears. His worn complexion emphasized his angular cheekbones in a mournful way. The skin was taut, whatever soft tissue that had been there slowly eroding to reveal bones. Lena squinted slightly as she stared at him.

She didn't know many people who came across so insecure. In fact, as she thought back to the pair she had dealt with when she woke up, there was only one person who could be so uncertain under a regimented posture. Her eyes widened as the familiarity that had pestered her finally settled on the man in front of her.

"A..." Lena breathed. The names were close. Catching her tone, he turned his head sharply to glare at her.

_Artemis._

"Adrian." she finished. The edge of his mouth quivered, as if ready to retort. Instead he pulled it down into a flat line. After a few tense moments went back to ignoring her, muttering something under his breath.

_Which means Julie is...Jelola. But does that mean anything? Everyone is so similar, but so different from what I remember._

Lena went back to looking at the floor a few feet ahead of them. There were three thick lines that trailed down the hallway. A centre black one with two different shades of grey running alongside it.

_Were those here before?_

It was difficult to tell. She had been so out of it that morning. The pair that had lead her took most of her attention, and then the session with Issac had left her disoriented.

"We're here. I'll be going in with you this time instead of Adrian." Dahlia said. Lena blinked, having almost forgotten about the blonde woman.

"Huh, why?"

"I thought it might make you more comfortable." she replied with a quick smile.

_That's true. But I have a feeling it's also to make me let down my guard. _

_ Well, I'll just have to make sure I don't then._

"Lena." Dahlia said suddenly. The timing made her stop for a second, but she dismissed it. She was making them wait. The door slid open with mechanical ease as Dahlia motioned for Lena to enter.

The office was as cozy as she remembered. It still seemed odd compared to the rest of complex, especially now that she had seen more of it. She supposed that higher staff might be given the luxury of input into the decoration of their office space if they were going to be spending a lot of time there. She sunk into the armchair facing his desk casually.

"Lena." Issac started gently. Lena raised an eyebrow suspiciously but let it go.

"I gave you a lot to think about earlier didn't I?"

"Yeah, you did." Lena said flatly. Issac gave a soft chuckle.

"Well unfortunately there's not much avoiding it. It's important that we get our facts straight, especially in your case."

"Because I'm delusional."

"Yes. But we need to know where we stand and your response tells me that you're still under at least a few misconceptions." Issac said. Lena maintained her firm expression.

"I want to see the photo you showed me again." Lena said. Issac frowned.

"You don't believe its real, do you?" Lena shook her head. "I see."

Issac deftly plucked the device off the shelf behind him without turning, and with a flick of his wrist, presented it to Lena over his desk. Hurriedly grabbing it from him, she wasted no time turning it on.

It displayed the same file as before. She quickly pressed the button on the side to move to the image section. There was only one photo.

She stared at it, as if hoping it might flicker and phase out to reveal something else if she gripped the device tightly enough. Her parents smiled back at her, their captured image oblivious to her frustration.

"This actually brings me to something I wanted to talk to you about. I wasn't able to get to it this morning, but this is all a lot to take in." Issac said. Lena looked up at him, still clenching the device between her palms.

"Where is she?" Lena said.

"Who?"

"_My mother!_ Where is she?" Lena said fiercely. She thought she heard Dahlia shuffle behind her.

_My brother may not be real, but I know my mother is._

"She's...Lena she's dead."

"What?" Lena said. Her anger was subdued in barely a sentence.

"Mila passed away not too long before you came to us." Issac said. Lena remained silent. Her gaze softened as her eyes expanded beyond their furrowed taunt.

"We believe that it acted as a catalyst for your illusions. According to your father, your condition became a lot worse shortly after she passed away. You had a hard time handling her death and you threw yourself into your delusion to deal with the trauma."

"My father has been missing for years."

"Yes...he mentioned that as well. You were so completely absorbed that you acted like he didn't exist."

"No, he was never there in the first place..." Lena said shaking her head slowly.

"Without your mother he didn't feel he could handle you by himself, especially as a non-seijin."

"_Dad.._.no, even if my father was there, he wouldn't give up me like that." Lena said. Issac let his shoulders fall slightly.

"I think you underestimate what it was like for those around you, Lena." Issac sighed. "But he might not have brought you to us if hadn't been for a certain incident."

"What happened?" Lena said softly.

"You pulled quite the stunt on him. You stole one of the patrollers that had been docked nearby after a scouting mission claiming to be on a mission from your mother to find an old friend of hers. Apparently she had sent you off just before she was _captured." _Issac emphasized the last word with a slight sarcasm. "Your father nearly got himself arrested trying to commandeer another ship to stop you. He was terrified that they were going to shoot you down under the no-fly restrictions that had been placed around your bloc."

"Eventually they came after you, but were unable to convince you to land. They didn't want to use lethal force but in the end had to shoot one of your engines out. You crashed and thankfully survived with barely more than a few bruises. But you were unconscious when they pulled you out. Your father had a lot of explaining to do while you were out. In the end they decided to send you here."

"So...it's my fault I'm here." Lena said with surprising soberness.

"To put it bluntly, yes. But you would have ended up here eventually based on what was described to us in your admittance papers."

"But why was there a no fly zone if there wasn't anything going on?"

"A heat wave." Issac told her. "They nearly tried to arrest him again when they found out you were a seijin. But they seemed to believe him when he told them your mother had been hiding it from him. Personally I'm not really sure how he managed to pull that off but..." he glanced over her shoulder.

"But it doesn't matter. What matters is that you understand your situation." he finished. The look Lena gave him told him all he needed. Her shoulders slouched under the weight of her defeated expression.

"I understand." she said numbly. _But I can still hope. _There was a lingering emptiness in her chest. It tightened as it reach her heart gripping it painfully. But there was something untouched, something in her gut that told her she wasn't ready to go down just yet.

Slowly looking back up at Issac, Lena saw something in his eyes just for a moment. There was a flash of sympathy softening his features.

"Would it help if...you were able to see your father?" Issac said. The sensation threatened to consume her heart entirely before releasing it at his words.

"It...might." _I might be able to meet my father._

"I'm not sure that's a good idea." Dahlia said. Lena had nearly forgotten she was there.

"Why not?" Lena asked her. She turned to face Dahlia as she did, twisting around in her seat uncomfortably.

"I think it might be too soon." the blonde said.

"And I think Lena is ready." Issac insisted. Dahlia glared at him. "I'm sure it can be arranged."

She hardened as he finished. Issac mimicked her, returning the daggers she shot him. She released her clenched fists before she spoke again.

"If you think so, _Issac,_ then I'll have to trust your judgement." Dahlia said. Her irritation was thinly veiled in polite obedience. Lena shrank a little between the two adults.

"I'll take responsibility." Issac said.

"Agreed." Dahlia replied.

_Why doesn't Dahlia want me to see my father? Is she worried about how I'll react? _

"Um..." Lena began. "There was something else I was wondering about actually." Both combatants immediately turned to stare at her. The anger from before was still there, although lessened a bit by the agreement.

Looking back and forth between them, she continued "I was wondering when I would be able to go outside. Dahlia said she wanted throw rocks with me earlier." She almost mentioned something about 'getting a little sun' but thought it best not make any reference to her powers. Both parties visibly relaxed.

"I think the day's events must have given you the wrong impression." said Issac.

"It's not that you're not allowed out, you just didn't get much of a chance today. I took you to the lounge instead of going outside because I didn't want to startle you." Dahlia explained. "We can go out tomorrow." Dahlia smiled at her as if there had been no aggression between the two employees.

"That sounds good." Lena affirmed.

*****

The rest of the session had continued on as what was essentially idle chatter. They talked about how she had felt over the day (although she tip-toed around the Celia incident) and she inevitably gave in to describing the reaction of her peers when Issac didn't seem satisfied with just an overview of events. He nodded mostly, with the occasional encouraging comment or question. It wasn't as scrutinizing as she had expected. In fact by the end of their meeting Lena had been given the impression that Issac wasn't really interested in examining her very thoroughly, at least not yet. Dahlia had remained silent after their altercation.

Escorted by the same pair that had brought her to his office, she now approached a door resembling the one she had woken up to. If it hadn't been for their path winding around the lounge and the cafeteria she might have thought it was the same one.

"You usually have an hour or two of free time before curfew, and then its lights off. No exceptions. Tonight its just one hour." Dahlia told her.

"Do most patients spend it in their room?" Lena asked.

"Many do, although some like to do other things." Lena realized with the pair of them standing behind her there was a strong suggestion towards the former. She was a little miffed that she wasn't being given a choice, but had to admit that all she wanted to do was think alone for a while. She entered room without any protest. She exhaled deeply as the door slid shut behind her. She heard Adrian walking away stiffly, almost stomping.

Her room was considerably more welcoming than the cell. It was about three times the size. Still not very sizable, or even close to the bedroom she remembered from Puerto Angel but still an improvement. There was a single cot on the right and a small bookshelf across from it separated by a unsophisticated wooden desk. Its height lined up with the ledge beneath a single window pane inlaid into the wall. The glass was centred, stretching half the length of the room. The walls were painted in a yellowed brown that reminded her of the of the sun set that, judging by the fading skyline, she had missed.

It was...strangely unremarkable. There was no exasperation that came as the source of her powers fell below the horizon. It had simply been swallowed without so much as fading gasp. The energy that breathed into her had never been there in the first place. It was quiet feeling.

She imagined that this was how most people felt. Disconnected from the distant blazing star, taking its heat without its gift. There was nothing to say about it. It simply was.

The simple bed seemed more inviting. She sat down slowly, her hands flat at her sides to guage the softness of the bed. It was firmer than it looked she noticed. The prospect wasn't very discomforting though as her mind drifted to the shelf across from her.

She recognized all the dog-eared paperbacks and worn hardcovers. _Peter Pan _was particularly dishevelled—she could see that the pages jutted out unevenly and tape around the binding. Most of the titles were too faded to be able to read even from such a short distance. Unable to make them out, Lena's eyes finally found the only living thing on the ledge. A sapphire tipped iris tilting over the edge of a small brown pot.

_It's the plant from Babylonia..._

For a moment she wanted to curse it, its accuracy. It was just as she had left it.

_Wait._

Something that had slipped her mind. The stark contrast of her surroundings and deluge of terrifying information over the day had consumed her thoughts entirely. But now, unhindered by her new reality she tried to remember.

_What was I doing before I woke up here? The last thing I remember is..._

It was like when she had tried to use her powers, only more cerebral. It dodged the force of her mind, somehow undermining her own volition. And then it exerted itself back at her, painfully.

"Ar..." she uttered as the pain peaked and receded. _Maybe a little farther back?_

She had been on Puerto Angel. Her brother and the rest of the crew were there...

..."_You heard me right squirt." her brother rebuked. She was in complete disbelief. The crew of the had been called to order in the cabin on the back of the ship. It wasn't really private since the crew was so often free to relax in it, but it was still strange to see the entire group around her. _

_ She stood with her back to the rear window, refusing to sit down on the red cushioned seats behind her. Cortes was leaning with his arms supporting him on the railing that lined the descending staircase across the room from her. His head was down, and he had assumed his usual pensive expression. Mahad and Cheng had more casually placed themselves on either side of the flat rustic metal table. The boy was half-heartedly distracting himself by tapping a wrench on the plating of a disassembled 'super brig' arm. Dahlia and the Vector occupied the seating that lined half the room, nearly parallel to her but not quite. Wayan stood against the wall on her left, arms crossed as he stared her down, one eyebrow raised in scepticism. It hurt a little to see the normally genial man so upset with her—but not enough make her reconsider her stance on the matter._

_ "Since when have you ever been qualified to dish out advice?" she retorted angrily._

_ "He's normally the last person I'd listen to, but I have agree with him on this one Lena." Dahlia said._

_ "I think you need to listen as well, Lena." the Vector added. She didn't bother to turn towards either of them. _

_ "I'm __**fine. **__I can manage myself." she seethed._

_"Aye, and what about the members of my crew who are in the infirmary?" Cortes said. "The __**critical **__ward no less." he added. "Because of your actions, half of those men may never see the light of day again!" _

_ "That wasn't my fault."_

_ "No?" he challenged._

_ "They were slow."_

_ "Or were they just in the way of your little light show?" he nearly yelled. He released his grip on the bar with an audible crack and stood with the weight being captain to most of the of the Rebellion's forces gave him. He loomed over those sitting at the table. If she had cared she might have noticed Cheng trembling. _

_ "It's __**not**__—" she said, indignation rising. She hated when he demeaned her powers with comments like that. He had always been critical of them, loathe to rely on them no matter how hard she tried to make them seem viable. And they were, more so than he would ever acknowledge. _

_ "__**Or **__was it because you had to take all the glory with another one of your bloody stunts?"_

_ "Glory? Is that what this is about?" she said, nearly exasperated._

_ "No! But since you seem to enjoy being the centre of attention so much I'm surprised you're not relishing this!" he bellowed. The Vector and Dahlia both cringed slightly. Cheng and Mahad leaned into the table. Wayan was the only one who seemed unaffected by the man's tirade. The dark man lifted an arm to stop the ginger's advance on the girl._

_ "You can't possibly believe you're blameless in this." Wayan asked, gentle compared to the man he was restraining. She bit her lip._

_ "I didn't mean for them to get in the way!" she said. "It's just that it's more efficient for me to fight them." Cortes was growling behind the outstretched arm. Wayan didn't waver._

_ "You disobeyed a direct order Lena. I think Cortes knows how to direct his men effectively."_

_ "You were barely scrambling before I showed up!" she told him. Wayan's only acknowledgement of her reply was the slight opening of his mouth before he sealed it into a flat line. Slowly he lowered his arm and resumed his aggravated position against the wall. Cortes slowly walked forward until he loomed over her. She could see a vein on his neck bulging. _

_ "__**Scrambling? **__Is that how you see us?A bunch of rebels who can't even help themselves let alone even hold a candle to __**some lass **__who thinks she's some lady of light!"_

_ "I am!"_

_ "Is this how you reunite Skyland? By killing everyone in it?! Even your mother wasn't this daft!"_

_ "My mother was not the Lady of Light!"_

_**"And neither are you!" **__he nearly screamed in her face. She continued to glare him down, trying her best not to show she was becoming intimidated. "Look at what you've done Lena! Do you realize how many people you've hurt?"_

_ "I was there earlier, in the infirmary. There were grown men and women crying in pain. And what do you think they asked me, Lena?Their leader, who couldn't control a rampaging teenage girl he allowed on board?!" he paused. Although she didn't realize it, her expression was softening. But unlike how Cortes interpreted it, it wasn't because his words were reaching her in the way he was intending._

_ "Your friend Kale was there, although I imagine it's not mutual anymore. He was nearly torn apart in the blast. He was in agony, Lena, agony."_

_ "You don't know..." Lena said quietly. _

_ "I spoke to the doctor. He'll be lucky if he ever manages to move again, let alone walk."_

_ "...anything about me." she finished slowly._

_ "And the rest were silent because they were unconscious or dead!" _

_ "__**You don't know anything!" **__she screamed with enough suddenness to startle the man trying to tear her down. He maintained his determined expression, but took a step back. His eyes slowly widened as he began to take in the sight forming in front of him._

_ Her forearms exploded with blue sizzling energy, collecting at her elbow as if dammed by some biological gradient. Veins pulsated violently, an unnatural shade of blue bulging beneath a pale canvas threatening to be torn apart. Pale electrics exploded up towards her shoulders,a ghostly shape assuming her form._

_ "Lena control yourself!" the Vector shouted warningly. She couldn't hear him over the screaming in her mind._

_ "Everybody get back!" Cortes shouted. But the effort was made futile as the crew felt the floor disappear from under their feet. They were lifted up in the energy that radiated from the girl, the reverberations squeezing their innards with each wave. _

_ Her body was a lingering silhouette in the bright light that burned their retinas. _

_ "Lena!" a female voice shouted. It's authority was undermined by a caring tone. "Stop this now!" _

_ Somehow, over the sound of everyone's heartbeats, their breathing and inner workings grinding to combat the force she applied, she heard the woman. _

_ The light vanished, retreating back into its epicentre. The crew landed haphazardly back on their feet. Mila stood in the centre of the room, arms glowing protectively. _

_ "Have you lost your mind Lena?" her mother said._

_ Cortes was the first non-seijin to regain his voice._

_ "Lena, we brought you here to see if there was any sense left in you. As a group we came to a decision that in the event that you no longer safe enough to work with this crew that we would have to take measures to assure that no one else was hurt."_

_ "I'm afraid now that I can't enforce most of what we had in mind, but I can at least make it so this doesn't happen again."_

_ "I..."_

_ "Enough! You are hereby expelled from this crew and this ship. You are to be grounded on Puerto Angel, permanently if need be, until you are deemed sane enough not to endanger everyone around you." he stated. His expression betrayed no compassion, only the hate she saw in him when he faced the Sphere. She was a threat._

_ "I took you and your brother in when you had nowhere else to go in faith of your mother. I let you be a part of this crew, against my better judgement because I thought I saw something in you two. But as long as I am captain of this vessel you, Lena, will never so much as set foot on my bridge again."_

She sat there, feeling the heat of his gaze worlds away.

**_ ..._**_That's right. They hated me. I... _she trembled, clutching her hands to her chest. Vile words ranged through her head, her stomach threatening it's own release. She leaned over her knees, violently gripping her jaw over her mouth. She barely felt it when she hit the floor, falling to one side as her free hand tried to steady her. She curled into herself as Celia had.

The memory was seeped in raw power. She shook under its energy, remembering the sensation, the _satisfaction _of channelling that much power through her body. There was a time when such conductivity would have frightened, even disgusted her. The comparison drew itself neatly in her mind, etching the presence of man she had hoped to forget.

_ Oh gods, what have I done?_

***

**A/n: I know it probably would have made more sense for her to think more about what she could remember earlier, but it just didn't feel right.**

**Cortes' tirade is pretty verbose for a man who normally expresses his anger succinctly, isn't it?**

**Thoughts so far? Is it getting more exciting, or are you guys waiting for some present-tense action? Reviews are welcomed and appreciated.**


	7. foe?

**A/n: The new semester has started, so I gotta get my school game on. I still intend to work on my stuff here, but I'm not really going to have as much time. Doing more creative writing when I have a headache is, well, a pain, and I get a lot more of those during the school year.**

Anyways...

**I added a paragraph to end of the last chapter and took out a few lines from Cortes' tirade. It was a bit much. It might be worth taking a quick look at the end at least.**

An appearance by Marcus. That's a tall order...or is it?

***

Lena didn't remember crawling back onto her cot that night. But none she less she awoke curled up under a blanket as if she had never been on the floor.

Sunlight fell into her room through the single window, illuminating it better than the evening before. She didn't bother taking in the details,however, as she stretched out her arm into light. It did nothing to revitalize her as it might have in her memories. It was as immaterial against her skin as she expected, not even casting a small warmth.

There was a succinct rapping at the door which promptly slid open before she could even acknowledge it.

"Good morning, Lena" Jelola, or Julie greeted. Lena prayed that the mental stutter didn't show as she thought how best to reply. She would have to decide how to refer to the woman, both aloud and in her mind.

"Morning..." Lena said sleepily.

Julie, like the day before, approached her with a kindness that Lena was now sure Jelola was feigning. Her shoulders remained level as she surveyed Lena briefly. The woman's eyes flashed something akin to briefly as they widened on Lena's hunched position on the side of the cot. She held another set of clothes identical to the one Lena was wearing.

"You'll be happy to know we have a change of clothes for you this morning."

"Thanks." Lena replied. When she didn't move from her bed, Julie took another step into the centre of the room. Looking around a moment, she placed the folded bundle on the desk.

"You have two minutes to get up and changed. We have a tight schedule to keep." She looked at the woman, doing her best to betray no sign of her dismay from the evening before.

"And if I don't?"

"Then we'll have to send someone in. But you don't want that." Julie explained. It was the tone felt formally polite, exactly what Lena would expect from a nurse. "I'll be outside. You'll be taking your medication later in your morning routine with the other patients." Julie finished. _And I'll be thick-headed, again._ The woman left the room without so much as another word.

Breakfast was indistinguishable from lunch, at least as far as Lena could discern. She idly dragged her spoon through the thick broth, watching the mixture follow her motions. The surface mucky texture readily swirled as her attention flitted from the bowl to other things.

**"Have you lost your mind?"**

_Mom..._

_ Even if all of this is somehow unreal, that memory was too...strong to be fake. I remember how I felt, how angry I was. It didn't feel like _me _though. I saw everything through my eyes—Lena's eyes,but it wasn't __**me. **__I've never thought about anyone like that._

_ Mom, it hurts. Knowing what I must have done..._

Dahlia sat across from her, the fluorescent light emphasizing her cheekbones as she leaned over her clipboard. Her food sat adjacent to it, present but clearly forgotten. Lena was glad for once that no one expected her presence at their table for meal times.

She hadn't the will to approach Alice again, and would have taken her meal alone if she could have. It was starting to seem like there was never enough time for wading through the revelations they brought her. A distracted Dahlia, however, made for good silent companion. A close second to spending a meal alone.

**"...until you are deemed sane enough not to endanger everyone around you."**

_This can't be what he meant. And it apparently didn't help anyone anyway...at least not Celia._

"Lena?" Dahlia asked. Lena could feel her muscles tense around the top of her cheeks as her eyes retreated from their attempt squeeze their way inward. She let the cringe go as she realized Dahlia had pulled her attention away from the clipboard. She continued to hunch over it, her eyes threatening to peel farther upward.

"I'm alright." _Should, could I talk to...Dahlia? She wants me to, I know, but..._

"Do you remember what I said about being honest?" Dahlia said.

"I do." Lena replied. "I was just thinking about...a dream I had last night."

"Go on. Remember, you can tell me anything."

"Yeah...I think I might have remembered something." _But probably not what you wanted me to._ "It had to do with my powers. There was, an explosion I think. It was my fault and people got hurt."

"So it was before you came here. I don't remember anything like that in your file, but...how did you feel about it?"

"I was angry, furious even at them."

"You didn't accept the blame?"

"I didn't want to." Lena said. She looked down at the surface of her bowl for a word. The flat matte surface gave her no hints. "I was being arrogant."

"You admit your fault then, in hindsight."

"Yes..." Lena said hesitantly. "It was me, but it didn't feel like me. It was strange." she finished using fewer words than she intended. Dahlia raised an eyebrow ever so slightly. Her arms came up around her and crossed themselves into the crux of her arms. She closed her eyes as if to drum up an answer to a question that hadn't been asked. Ever so slightly, the woman reclined back over the bench.

"Strange visions..." Dahlia said quietly.

"Visions? It was a dream, wasn't it?" the woman's eyes flashed open and then settled casually.

"You're not supposed to be having dreams, or at least remembering them under your medication. Who was it you were talking to?"

Lena bit her lip. "My friends."

"Which friends, child?"

"I think I need to use the washroom." she said before the blonde finished. _Not suspicious at all, Lena..._

Dahlia seemed to freeze as she leaned back forward, as if she could better observe the girl in front of her by stilling herself. She stared at Lena incredulously, her expression barely changing from moments before.

"Adrian will guide you out. Better hurry, breakfast is almost over." she said flatly as she unhooked her arms. The papers seemed to be just as interesting as they were to her before.

She spotted Adrian by one of the doors. His harsh gaze told her that she would have to come to him—but don't not to be too quick about it. She lifted her legs over the bench and walked over in small strides.

"Uh...washroom." she muttered to him. He gave a grunt and pushed the door open for her without moving from his position. He followed after her as she entered the hallway, barely inches away from her as they moved. She could feel him brushing against her heels.

"First on the left." he said.

"Thanks."

"You have five minutes. Don't do anything stupid."

_What does he think I'm going to do?_

"Of course not." she said politely. He stared impassively ahead as he took up the same position beside the washroom door.

The inside was as plain as the hallway design, pastel blue covering the stalls and amenities. She didn't bother looking to see if the toilets followed the same theme. Dark green square tiles lined the floor, completely at odds with its bright surroundings. They climbed up halfway to meet a slightly yellowed white wall.

She walked over to the farthest sink from the door, if only for the semblance of distancing herself from her guard. It changed nothing as she remained confined to what was now an even smaller room. He could easily close the distance from the door to any point in the room in a matter of seconds. But the idea that her voice would somehow carry less from where she was standing gave her some ease.

Placing her hands on either side of the sink, she step backed and lowered her head, staring into the drain.

_I can't believe I almost told her..._

"...about that stupid dream." she muttered. "She didn't really _care. _Even the Dahlia from my dream could at least _act_ like she did." Lena shook her head as she gripped the sink harder. "And Idon't even know if it was me."

_But it was._

Quenching her eyes shut was all she could do to keep from crying. The dismay welled under eyes as her shoulders strained to keep her upright as she sank towards the basin.

_If I'm remembering something that's not supposed to be real, what will they think? Like she said, I'm not even supposed to be having dreams! What is that even? Why can't I dream? If this what I have to awake to then why can't I just..._

_ "Oh, Lena..."_

A familiar voice spoke, just it always would have to her; sympathetically stroking her, soothing her almost instantly. The comfort felt mocking as she realized the sound had no reliable source.

"Mom?" she said hesitantly. She peered upward, catching part of her reflection along the bottom of the mirror. Tired eyes gazed back at her, shadows underlining them. Lifting herself up, her hair fell forward from where it was normally knitted behind her. The two single bangs that normally lined her face were joined by haggard strands of a poorly combed weave.

_"I told you, you're too little to climb big trees..."_

"Dammit!" she cried, her voice rasping. She turned her back to the sink, hands still gripping it. Tears marred her face.

_"Lena."_

"Stop, _please._" Lena begged.

_"Don't turn away Lena. You wouldn't ignore yourself, would you?" _the voice continued.

"Oh gods..." she said as she raised her hands to her face. Her fingers crawled up her cheeks, digging into the soft flesh as she closed them over her eyes. She shook as her stomach clenched. "Oh god now you sound _like me._"

_"That's because I __**am **__you, Lena." _

"You can't be!"

_"Turn around, then."_

Her heart begged her not to as tried to shrink away. Reluctantly, she released her face and taking a breath, she turned taking several slow steps to do so.

It was her, of course. A girl in white overalls and a red shirt with tidy hair and bright eyes that hinted at the power behind them. A girl whose face betrayed none of her fear, or her worries. She was anxious not for the world around her, but to learn and to grow.

"See? It's you! Or at least, the you you wish you were."

"Who...who are you?"

"I just told you..." the reflected girl pouted.

"You said I was the me I wish I was. But _I am _you. This—" Lena said, glancing down at herself, "this is what's fake."

"You're not the one in the mirror." she said incredulously.

"No I'm not...but I am. You are me, and I'm you. You're the real me."

"...because you're crazy."

She shook her head. "I know I'm not!"

"Look around you! Everyone you know is here..."

"...but it's not real."

"You're just a stupid girl who can't face reality. So you surrounded yourself with fantasies instead of owning up."

"I know what I remember is true though! I'm sane."

"You can't prove that, at least not by yourself. And I don't think talking to your reflection is going to help." she pointed out non-nonchalantly. Lena paused at this. She stepped back again, staring down her mirror self.

_She's right—I'm right. This is insane. _

"You're right...but you're also wrong. You're not me. I would never be so mean to myself."

"You're a teenager now, of course you are!" she giggled. _But there's something else! There's someone— _"And don't you remember what you did to all those people?"

"I mean..."

-_Tk-_

"Yes."

_-Tk, tk-_

"...the dream." Lena said. The tapping sound echoed her as the words fell from her lips. And then the nosie broke through, a small impact rippling into the centre of her reflection as if someone had impressed a rock into the surface. It creaked outward, extending its branching claws across the other mirrors towards the door. Broad cracks were etched into them, cracking the scene.

"Do you remember the power you had? The power _I _had. " Three and half sets of eyes stared at her intensely, demanding that she was right.

"I-I do. But you said that I was deluded!"

"I'm as real as you allow me to be."

Lena raised her hand to her neck, gently caressing the collar with her fingertips. She looked down along the row of mirrors, a fractured world portrayed on their surfaces.

"You're _not _what I want."

"But this is what I am, this is what's left if you deny all of this."

"I-I, I'm not a _monster_...!"

"Would you believe someone else? Your brother, maybe? Your mother perhaps? Or someone...more like you...than you?" she said. The voice was losing its girlish charm. The untroubled, wistful tone was sinking, sinking to something deeper. It was grew more fiendish as it darkened.

"Time's almost up." Adrian called through the door. Lena cringed as she turned to the exit.

"Tsk..." the reflection chimed. It didn't sound like her anymore, but there was no alleviation in the change. It felt like ages since she had heard that voice, and yet it was still too son. Hearing it ever was disheartening. Her heart tightened itself even more.

_I won't look! This needs to end, I can't be talking to the mirror. Adrian can hear everything I'll never get out of here I'll...the glass I'll be in so much trouble I can't—_

She spoke without looking at the broken glass. "Go **away.**" she demanded. It was an old anger she spoke with, surprising even herself. But it fluttered in the back of her throat, ready to fall back into her gut unanswered. It hovered, to break at a word.

"So will you listen now, child?" it said calmly, almost cooing. "It's been so long since we've talked..."

She walked toward the door. Adrian eyed her suspiciously as she walked out stiffly.

"You didn't break anything did you, in between all that yelling and crying?" he asked. The insensitivity and embarrassment sent her fury crashing.

"The mirror." she said very quietly.

"Dammit! That's on me you know." he said, glaring at her. He pushed her aside as he grabbed her shoulder, shoving himself into the room. He froze as he surveyed the scene. "Is this some kind of joke?"

Lena remained silent.

"Everything's fine. Geez, what's _wrong _with you?" he said. "Just..get going." He twisted her around to face down the hallway towards the cafeteria. She accepted the rough treatment and marched forward, Adrian pushing her along.

**I got a kudos from a guest on the AO3 mirror of this AND a review as well as a follow here. Sweet! As a reward, have a cliched hallucinatory mirror scene. You're welcome! (I swear it will get better...eventually.)**


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